| dike 
T68 


ay 


LEIGH HUNT AS ESSAYIST AND CRITIC 


ag a ~ 


BY 


ALBERT FRANCIS TRAMS 
A. B. University of Illinois 1905 


THESIS 


SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS 
FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH 
IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY 
OF ILLINOIS, 1922 


URBANA, ILLINOIS 


UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 


THE GRADUATE SCHOOL 


[| HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY 


Gp Oe 
SUPERVISION BY 2OAT A rencn 7 


BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR 


THE DEGREE OF ae ls ae Ge 
In Charge of Thesis 


Head of Department 


Recommendation concurred in* 


ee eh Committee 


on 


Final Examination* 


LQOL AS 
296042 


\ 
ai 
i 
‘ 


, BIOwWLial 2e ¥ TLS PSAVIAU’ 


in fl iq 


t 
. 


4 


PCy SE AE AT OM AOS ae 


a 
~~ 


——— 


ES 
4 
as 
? 
— 


pt 
a al 
~ 
‘ 
> 


+ 
° 
- 


a 


: 
4 


i 


Bs 
rig DoT ipiaiye 4 


Li 


we 


P} im 
aan 


gl TS he 
~ 


bok ic hit % 


( \ 2, : ; 
é 77 : Wainoe iF ‘ ; 
i] ae , : th gi eae 


PREFACE 


We who have no stomach for the "defeatist" idea of life as por- 
trayed in many books current today, passing tomorrow, and extinct 
the day after, may find pleasant relief in the life and writings of 
Leigh Hunt. After Butlerizing, Mastersizing, and Andersonizing suf- 
ficiently to satisfy ourselves that we have come short of the glory 
of making ourselves smug, not because we have sinned too much, but 
because we have not sinned wickedly, grossly, nor enough, we may 
flush the castor-oil effects from our palates with tne tonic Hunt- 


ian remedy against the "All is well that ends ill." 


Then, whether at work or at play in the world of literature 
and life, we shall, I am sure we will, decide that there is neither 
pleasure nor profit in spending all our time with weeds and stones, 
with worms, and thorns, and poison ivy. Flowers shall sometimes 
lure our feet down field-paths growing dusky in the distance; birds 
calling to birds will quicken memories of old haunts far down in 
the twilight of forest glades; forgotten gateways will invite us 
to the Burial-grounds of Genius overhung with quietness and the 
peace of the Past. Thorn-prick and stone-bruise will undoubtedly 
be ours along the way, but only because we are unwary. They are 
but accidents by the way. Happiness, however, is not accident, nei- 
| ther is content; they, and comfort, will come only in the wake of 


|striving and serving. All these came to Hunt because ne strove and 


jserved. He had his share of thorn-prick and stone-bruise, for he 


too was unwary. But his largest portion by far was happiness, and 


Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2015 


https://archive.org/details/leighhuntasessayOOtram 


ii 


content, and comfort; for he had the rare mind, the sweet soul, the 


striving spirit. And to him who comes asking he will reveal the 


secret of his own satisfaction. 


Leigh Hunt as a subject for investigation was first suggested 
to me by Professor Stuart P. Sherman of the University of Illinois. 
I have him to thank for the pleasure that has come to me as a re- 
sult of my study. For helpful suggestions during the early stages 
of the work I am indebted to Professors H. S. V. Jones and Harry 
Ge Paul, also of the University of Illinois. I wish also to ack- 
nowledge my indebtedness to Miss Mary Spangler, Librarian of the 


Joliet Township High School for reading the entire manuscript. 


I am especially glad to record my gratitude to Luther A. Brew- 
er of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for his kindness in giving me much side- 
light information about Leigh Hunt, and for allowing me to examine, 
and to make use of many rare volumes, and doth published and unpub- 
lished manuscripts of Leigh Hunt. Several of the most interesting 


of these I have described in the addendum. 


Joliet, Illinois 
May 10, 1922 


an rr ia 


See eet “Say etme tee ee 


~ia teewe oct ,batnm ered odd bak 96 tek :s1otaoe- bag 


| 
+ teovew Iyiw oa oitas gemeo 648 Hie OF BAA -Tixtge | 
| 


; -Solioatelies awe a 
| Betaogava 2arit war oliegiseevsi tot 200 (ens & Oe | 
~StonlliIfil 1 v? e “overt eild to nemtede dreuad 

| ‘<a #a @& 02 emoo ged Yak? wteemeee ede et sige? 


senate Ylsan eft galich somolsenggee Letehes Gert ual 


VItee boa soni _¥ .@ .B atcazetot’ of Netdobal ma 


—— 


r 


tom o2 osia dale 1 ,stonli (i Yo vy tavevin’ ed? 746% 


‘ 


T ' oP - 
ena? to aglxaeicizl ,7¢(geeq0 Ytes B2Gie CP anes 


Iq i toesaam (toe ef? zaifeot tot Leaked aye 


ewesh .A rectut-et ebutitets “a baenet O79 29 ro 
-e6ie doom ow auivin wl eteachbala #28 56% e001 <abl 


,ouioexe o¢ én gaivolila 101 bas 24080 ayies tveds no tte ae 
eiugaW tte bedelidwg fied taa , sompior tas oem 20 @ bee 
va 


asxigssoseiai Jeow off Yo Levevet .taak dgiok to ‘paela 
| moboehbba 647 @] bedivouel o¥ 
i 
asi 

} 
i 
qi : 
| ‘ 
if « 
Ens ») - 
) i 6 ! 7 Be 

a : a. @ er nu 


7 7 7 : Waele. iP RY 
oe ren) ey eee er” 


CONTENTS 


I. LEIGH HUNT: BIOGRAPHICAL 


Youth and education. Dramatic criticism, 
Editorial work. In prison. Poetical works. 
The "Liberal" and Italy. Back home. “Lord 
Byron and Some of His Contemporaries." 
Financial relief. Publications. Death. 


ATTITUDES AND TENDENCIES 
The spirit of Hunt's work: warmth, geniality, 
acuteness, vigor. His wide reading and catho- 


licity of taste. The two-fold nature of his 
writings: creative and critical. 


HONESTY AND IDEALS 


Leigh Hunt’s humanity. His subjects. His 


intellectual honesty. His moral honesty 
and abidingness. 


HOME AND FIRESIDE 


Cold mornings. Days by the fire. The real- 
ities of the unreal. Little children. "Oh, 
Wilderness were paradise enow." "“Easer of 
all woes." 


CRITIC AND CENSOR-GENERAL 


Ostentatious impartiality. "Puffing and 
punning." A moral Quixote. Rules to vio- 
late. Praise to the praisworthy. Self- 
appraisal. 


“ott 
r ) omar and ‘ 


afy 
‘ 


+ : Li +c im bg: 
4 


P “ye 
iF on a aol 
a by . T) 
‘ AARCT cre neat on 
i ’ ; ™ - P f 
PT 
; , e e’zoo a sh 
‘ > 
= ‘ rou LHHISSL LOT 
. cs ee 
~ S2aane! ida 
: ." 
| 
Ni ma 
—- 
| Ge 
1] 
iy ° 
. i . a ‘2 »@ imxtom { 
j J - vy @ mS 3 
| ; , q ox0y esos 
- ’ «8 OE Ww 
? , 
= —_— om a 
| < « i we Ge Uf «OE in oma 
4 + ie 
4 " 4 
Y . > i BA oo ey 
7) é tredqmd «# te tmos reo 
if P i is 4 ip ‘a gala wary 
i. , ax | 
| ies a A 3 Q 3 roid ag .o2 ol : 
| { } hy ; Comat J 
| Paik it 
71 ’ : oe a a 


etd 


VI. INDICATOR AND TASTER 


Critical and aesthetic appreciation. Imag- 

ination and Fancy. Critical estimates. 

"What is Poetry?"* Details and examples. 

"Wit and Humour." "A jewel case of crit- 

icisms." Character of the two books. The 

conclusion. "Who still rules our spirit 
from his urn." 


BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BIBLIOGRAPHIES 


Alexander Ireland. Brimley R. Johnson. 
J. Pe. Anderson, in Monkhouse'’s "Life of 
Leigh Hunt." Roger Ingpen. Additional. 


LIST OF BOOKS AND OTHER ITEMS USED IN 
THE PREPARATION OF THIS THESIS 


Books by Hunt. Béography and criticism 


BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LEIGH HUNT CHRONOLOGICALLY 
ARRANGED 


ADDENDUM 92-97 


List of manuscript letters 92-93 
List of manuscripts 93-94 
Items with association interest 94-96 


List of presentation copies 


mort i} 


: L+q -saaleti tw83bHe4 


4 
=> 


arid lus Vie 
A#oOolAS1e (O YHCAROORSES 


<< 


mY, 
~ 


> 


LEIGH HUNT: BIOGRAPHICAL 


Youth and education. Dramatic criticism. 
Editorial work. In prison. Poetical works. 
The "Liberal" and Italy. Back home. "Lord 
Byron and Some of His Contemporaries." Fi- 
nancial relief. Publications. Death. 


James Henry Leigh Hunt was born at Southgate, near London, 
October 19, "cradled," he tells us, "not only in the lap 
of Nature, which I love, but in the midst of the truly Eng- | 
lish scenery which I love beyond all other." His father 
was a native of Barbadoes, who, after practicing law in 
Philadelphia, came to London and gained a reputation as a 
preacher. For some time he acted as tutor to a Mr. Leigh, 
after whom the subject of the present study was named. The 
father had no more capacity to manage money affairs than 


his son. He went through the Bankruptcy Court, and died 


(1809) a poor man, at the age of fifty-seven. Leigh Hunt’s | 


mother was the reverse of his father in character. Judged 
by Leigh Hunt's description, his father was a social ani- 
mal. His mother, he tells us, had two accomplishments: "a 
love of Nature and of books... She was diffident in her 
personal merit, but had great energy of principle." From 
his father he inherited the incapacity to mamage money mat- 
ters, from his mother ths capacity to make sacrifices for 
a principle. 


Dr. Samuel Johnson died, December is. 


is 
6 
: 7 


' ; oe ies os ae ino ? 
; R itq xl ‘jon Laseoshae | 
r . ot 6 oe r6¢d ? a Ld 
i *, ii 
#5 — 4 « 
. Te é 4! \, a 
a ‘ 
| e 
i! : : ; 4 - ve 4 <- Lf , 
\ , - ¥ 
i] ¢ 


. . P . \ enmnD -aldée roves 
uJ 
7 


& v's 


' 4 i 
- 

+ 

: t nd ? 4 » 

; 

' 
; , ad 7 »f {> 

1 * 

( " j 4 P ed 

Fy 

i ‘ a 

| 7 yee} 

: . . eo os 
DT at Y het. i , cedheom, ek 


‘thom i oe Ato ala soa. ‘ 


2 
Thomas Warton became Poet Laureate. "Phe Daily Universal 
Register" was established January 1. (This became "The 
Times" in 1788). John Wilson (Christopher North) was born. 
Marianne Kent (afterwards (July 3; 1809) Mrs. Leigh Hunt) 
was born. Lord Byron Was born. 
Leigh Hunt entered Christ Hospital at the age of seven. Of 
it he says, "Christ Hospital is a nursery of tradesmen, mer- 
chants, of naval officers, of scholars; it has provided 
some of the greatest ornaments of their time... In point of 
University honors it claims to be equal with the best." 
Gelarsane left Christ Hospital and was entered on the books 
of Jesus College, Cambridge, as Sizar. J. Wesley died. 
Boswell published his "Life of Dr. Johnson." 
Shelley born at Field Place, near Horsham, Sussex, August 4. 
Sir Joshua Reynolds died. 
Coleridge and Southey hatch the scheme of Pantisocracy, 
which was to take them to America as pioneers in a social- 
istic existence of equality and fraternity. 
Carlyle born. Keats born, October 31. Boswell died. 
Burns died. giana died. Coleridge married Sarah 
Fricker (part of the Pantisocracy scheme). 
Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (afterwards second wife of Percy 
Bysshe Shelley) was born at London, August 30. 
Coleridge travelled in Germany. Publication of the "Lyri- 


cal Ballads." 


Hunt Left Christ Hospital. "I was fifteen," he says, "when | 


I put off my band and blue skirts for a coat and neckcloth. 


I was then first Deputy Grecian, and I had the honour of 


, su P 
ats we @¢ aie 


: i 
4 J 5B ) wielta); va sao 1a 
: ; i } 104 
, 5 \ 4 . o i 
Le és ‘ ; 
‘ r a’liqsow cela sefue jam d ‘ 
“ | \ a 
} ir ate hte - 
: : Po Ost » Pe = | 
* { & mse % 
s * 
o 
P " ; e 
ie 
| es ‘ = |, 
’ ‘ J¢ 
: ' 
- j bi 3 ‘ J y 
5 <2 
« u ey 
. ir = 
“ ‘ ha ‘ 
i 
, j r + 
. ve 
; oh ene. ode at, 
ye =. 
; : otiad: & yeamiet af hel Levesd '¢ eal a Lon 
i ee 
f f fi bal Le fi waka de 
ao mT! af e 
. ai ; a 
4 4 1 7 a i ae 
WY.» po", CROPS DT GA DP) “6 fap eatae anne a2 e 
tam 
7 P iD 
yrtaletceas } #204 <ot acclde onto ive band, 
: ol ty: 
: f § 4 


a Cee? 1 bed £ bam odd oe hie vent — 


ne oe sr hel 


1801-11 


1803-08 


3 
going out of the School in the same rank, and for the same 
reason, as my friend Charles Lamb. The reason was that I 
hesitated in my speech. It was understood that a Grecian 
was bound to deliver a public speech before he left the 
School, and to go into the Church afterwards; andas I 
could do neither of these things, a Grecian I could not be.’ 
Cowper died. Macaulay was born. Joseph Warton died. 
He left shool with the purpose of spreading the pleasures 


of literature, of resisting tyranny, of diminishing super- 


stition, of writing poetry. The last of these purposes was 


made manifest in the publication of his first printed book, 
"Juvenilla." He also contributed to the "Juvenile Library,’ 
and to the "European Magazine” he contributed a little poem 
called "Melancholy." 

Contributed several poems during 1801, 1805-11, to the "Po- 
etical Register." 

Contributed to "The Monthly Preceptor" an article which at- 
tracted the attention of one, Blizabeth Kent, who asked a 
mutual friend, John Robertson, to introduce the author of 
it to her. Leigh Hunt was brought to the house, and there 
he met Marianne, Elizabeth's sister, who afterwards became 
his wife. 

Sometime before this (nobody seems to give the date) Leigh 
Hunt and Marianne had fallen into a misunderstanding, and 
the engagement had been broken off; but through the help 
of Elizabeth the engagement was renewed about April, 1803. 
At the time of the reconciliation Leigh Hunt was clerking 


in his lawyer brother Stephen's office. 


7) <i rie 


a So 


‘ -igoeoge ya al beveti eam 
i f 


P ‘ ‘ — 
revilte! i oaved sam 
me 
. c . * i * red? 
-SiQ8 ae Kelvcoes 
4 wa 3 A aT 
4 ei i a4) : 
! - i? Hg sal ,i4 
Fi ‘ 
‘ a4 ’ 
, i) a ‘ 
’ 4 * ' < g , 
1 aeg sag” 
. i f pos ,a2%0e¢F 7G besweay 
‘ a 
adi é 
A nes g av* of 
- " =o 
’ » 4 ‘ « ~w & © Be . 
: iy - 4 Ba y 4 On a ‘ x" ,fte ist 
hb a 
ee : : i : AL a iaw *y Lod. vom 
; . Gas canadnad ba he 
i 
= 
vig of #@be8 ghodoc) Lao owhed wots 
J i i ’ f 
; ; inl gaelliaty bad eran saw bn 
_ a 
a |) dguowts tod 3 %to aodond gee 


Si. Gi, f bodies Phin oe ost 88 


. | 

e GUN isqh oe ‘ “ot oa 1 Regay se oda 
” : . * “ 4 

WE 


« - « 


rod , 0: aang pa a ne He 
Oi any nA i wf ye 


4 


1804-05 While still clerking for his brother he began contributing 


1805-07 


1806-21 


his first prose essays to the "Traveller." All of them re-. 
flected his admired models, Goldsmith, Fielding, Smollett, 
and Voltaire. The essays were signed, "Mr. Town. Junior, 
Critic and Censor-general.”" ("Mr. Town, Critic and Censor- 
general" was the pen name of the authors of the "Connois- 
seur", one of the chipmunk magazines in imitation of the 
"Spectator.") 

About this time he left his brother's office for a place in| 
the War Office, a place secured for him by Mr. Addington. 
While still in the War Office he began his career as theat- 
rical critic. There were two periods, the first from 1805 
to 1813, and the second from 1830 to 1832. From 1805 to 
1807 he contributed criticisms of the stage and actors to 
"The News," a paper set up by his brother John. These 
criticisms appeared in book form in 1807. 

John Stuart Mill was born. 

EBdited "Classic Tales." These were published in fifteen 
parts. Bound in five volumes; the first dated 1806, and 

the others 1807. According to Alexander Ireland, they were | 
all dated 1807. 

Contributed theatrical criticisms to "The Times" (estab- 
lished in 1801) Hunt's friend, Barnes became editor in 1807. 
While still at work in the War Office, he became editor of 
the "Examiner," the first number of which is dated January 
5, 1808. In order to give his full time to his new duties 
he resigned his position in the War Office, December 26, 


The "Examiner", of which his brother John was proprietor, 


an 


+ Oe ae! 


SF (teens 


"i aaa 


= : ‘ a 
4 


s 
Bi 


ae 


aT ; mt _ 4 : es Tar ead i wt ceil 


i . .* vWe % ¥ 3 pe f os tame yf ' 


=e 


6 bnooes oF 

wa 
' 7; i.%0 eovucéy 

é 4 | ; tAQeg a 

L 4 4 ‘ ti. sf 
} 
i 
aud Le oe | 
a 
4 A ¥ a7 "eel a7 teasio 


; ; ; ft oad rlov evt? al 
® { 
; t j eva VoOrL 
toes booed: 
~~ ’ “"~@ LT J 7* ; toleébae Tapt a ands sont 
i nt ; d ’ ' ay | ‘teat roe wh ‘beni aetna, 


‘ ia 


bo oensed ad ,oot tee wee ondd at ow a aorta) 


/ ae 
ereuvnet be si dotdw to xodmon 4 ett; H baa vente 
| ei ry oak “es 
ia ot ookt Of F. ala ‘onty ' oy t anne i ae ow 
. wm 


\o et » O@0l “iv. ta . one + ae me a 


ran Lear A 
} 


wiht 0" ‘det 


5 
was an outspoken radical journal. Its chief aims were, re- 
form in parliament, liberality of opinion in general, and 
"fusion of literary taste into all subjects whatsoever,” 
Hunt states that "It began with no party; but reform soon 
gave it one." With a policy like that it was bound to get 
into trouble. 
The first bout of the "Examiner" with the government came 
over a comment in the "Examiner" concerning the case of 
Major Hogan, which had to do with bribery in obtaining pro- 
motion in the army. The prosecution fell through. 
Now that Leigh Hunt had steady employment with the "Exami- 
ner" he thought it fit to establish a home of his own. He 
and Marianne were married July 3. Hunt's son, Thornton, 
describes Marianne as a "bride the reverse of handsome, and 
without accomplishments; but she had a pretty figure, beau- 
tiful black hair which reached down to her knees, magnif- 
icant eyes, and a very unusual natural turn for the vlastic 
art. She was an active and thrifty house-wife." She soon 
became an invalid; but hers was a resolute spirit, bearing 
up uncomplainingly under every adversity. During the first 
two years the young couple lived at Beckenham, Kent. In Oct-| 
ober of this year occurred the second prosecution of the 
"Examiner." But again it escaped. 
This was the “marvelous year"--of births. Among those of 
note who were born are the following: Tennyson, Gladstone, 
Darwin, Lincoln, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Edward Fitz- 


gerald, Nikolai Gogol, Franz Joseph Haydn, Frances Anne 


Kemble, Poe, O0.W. Holmes, irs. Browning, Chopin, Calvin. 


Sees . 
’ : ’ vil a | 
: men me 


tentvet faolveat netogsrae ‘se 8 wv 


r ' - 
Sf t gota! rtifetedt! ,tuwemelicag ol eae 
bts teat 
: *. i2 pioete » & rat efaart yvrsue8esif to moles iw 
! 
‘ 4 i 74 j a Oo 
| : a ' [ ii »¢ - Zi 
7 be 
\ 
teoimaxza®™ eas Yo 7¢ 
eslteax@” edi al ? 
ok / ’ A Ps 
Pa ie gi 1 ci d¢iw ob 63 bad dolse 
, = ae 
. Nee 
, Solgucesotqg sit .Ymse 647 @ 
ss 
re 
’ ; a Pe 3 u . a ' vl Anite 


"sou G ue bei tte "ew ecuals 
= | 
ra’ Inc” a 86 @ sia ote aves 


5, 
: ‘ : : 4 £ gue g ptoqmbels ¢ ano oue 
- . ? wob bertoaesé’t aolsaer ry toatl 
eld ' $f rot saue laxreden sewous Urey « Bae 
oe | fal =  -.Ae 
otie- od vitiadds bee eviton te eae uel 
‘4 
; ; tyfoses 2&2 caw etek one ;oilevael = ai: 
wiletevba yr0ove vebao ylge siaretended ce 
/ pa. 
-I¢ , vei de bevil olquoo gavby nas’ oxaon ( 
— oo. if t ao %4 i 20 ogee oad fh Ss = noae 180% ona wis 


peqeoag ai alsga ‘tua eT = 


: ‘ j ; ys a oe 
. ro eesod? gadwmh .adtaid Me-"aaey eaeeeeariee i. 


Savane 3 twolfot wat 612 ae oven 98 


‘ a 7 ; i 
eovet4 , ab Te i dig@aeol anext tee nae 
; i an: 


oh 


,pult rw ‘nett noite a 


6 


1809 Leigh Hunt's father died. 


1810-12 Hunt became editor of the "Reflector," a literary quarterly 


ventured by his brother John. It was much the same in nature 


and in creed as the "Examiner." It contained the first ver-| 


sion of "The Feast of the Poets;" and in the final install-| 


ment appeared "A Day By the Fire,” which Mr. Kent character 


izes as “light and frothy as a whipped syllabub." 


It is per 


haps the most characteristic of those colloquial essays in 


the writing of which Leigh Hunt stands alone. The "Reflec- 


tor was discontinued after the fourth number. 


1811 But trouble was brewing for the Hunts. John Scott had writ-|/ 
ten an article against flogging, and the Hunts quoted it in 


the "Examiner." For this they were prosecuted the third 


time. 


Again they were acquitted, but for the last time. It 
was during this year that Hunt first resided at Hampstead, 


where he remained until his prosecution in 1813, 


1812 Robert Browning was born. Dickens was born. Horne Tooke died 


1813-15 The article for which Leigh Hunt and his brother John were 


prosecuted, appeared in the Examiner for March 12, 1812, 


They were fined 500 pounds each and sentenced to separate 


gaols for two years (from February 3, 1813 to February 3, 


1815). This imprisonment was unfortunate for Leigh Hunt so 


far as his health was concerned; but so far as making him- 


self known, and gaining friends, a better way could not have| 


been devised. He was regarded as a martyr. Among those who 


visited him were Moore, Byron, Hazlitt, Charles and Mary 


Lamb, Pitman, Mitchell, Barnes, and Bentham; and he corres- 


ponded with his "friend of friends," Shelley, won the ad- 


belihb “estes 04808, dased 

cidettap qretesil a ",setoeltesY eda Yo toribe omacod 
sivac al emas os doum saw 21 RAO sedsotd ais 
sev ¢eult oii? beotatmon at "79a maak” edt aa bowts 
fietemi [anlt ems 24 ban “;eso0% esd Bo Jaget oath A 
@toeteado tho .m doldw *,egtt ede ya yo A” 
oo «i 21 “-dwdelige beqgidw # ae % daa 
at eyaese Lalvpolloe sacd? to eoftme sano 3 
-ooftem” ec? .egola sbsetse taut tated sobde 204 
-tecaoum Agguot ot 19¢%e been eso! 

jtas bed 12008 adol .8taoh etd tot gnimend BAe) 
ni ti betowp atauE ed? baw ,.yatpgott tentage of 
belde ed? betmwecesetg o10W yess aids 29% be 

+l ,omid geal ef2 sot gud ,Settingoos exew goed 4 
bawoaqual te bebieet cextt. tame’ Tage sey 
-b10L af wostanasong ofa Livan og be 

guesold. tod sew gal wna 

e16W ato tedsetd elf bee ta08 daled dodaw wot 
A181 4,84 dove 10% tea leanne ont at beotmurds + 
eTertages of beonetsoe boo doee shusog 008 beats | 

,& yrautdet of S£OL ,o yraexéet mort) etaeg ons, 10%. 

» gaek depled 10% eseapd sOlaw aa9 tzomsoulagms oe 
“phd gu itan es t~a1 00 ¢@gd sbencteonoe oem hie 
sved vou inne vee tetoed a pahoel zt galeies hae 
onw eects Qcomh »tEetaa « 6s bobteger Ie. da sien 
gxet baa Gol wed ~Ieiieek ,dorye “eae sage 96 3 
-soanoo of bas erent, | baa, sented asain ne bid on 
ba eft cow .getieds | Petit Ps 0 ' 


mp.” — a 


ey ee en Ss arm «ccm | 


ae 


7 
miration of Keats, and made his position as the protector 
of liberty secure. It was not long before his family was 
allowed to remain with him in prison. He kept 4a garden, 
grew flowers, beautified the walls of his rooms with pic- 
tures, installed a pianoforte, entertained his friends, 
wrote poetry and prose, edited the "Examiner," and enjoyed, 
except for ill health, two of the happiest years of his life 
Here was born his eldest daughter Mary Florimel (afterwards 
Mrs. Gliddon) 

1816 Hunt left prison February 3, and went to reside at Edgware 
Road, where he was visited by Byron and Wordsworth. Words- 
worth's solemnity stood in the way of a full understanding 
between Hunt and himself. Says Hunt, "there are good-hum- 
oured warrants for smiling which lie deeper even that Mr. 
Wordsworth's thoughts for tears." They did not meet again 
for thirty years. 

1816 Hunt removed to Hampstead (in the Vale of Health, as Hunt 

called it) for the benefit of the air. Here he was fre- 

quently visited by Shelley. The exact date of their first 
meeting has not been eh ran ded but it was probably some- 
time between March, 1812, and February, 1813. The lasting 
friendship was cemented during the trials connected with 

the sijucide of Shelley's first wife, Harriet, and the pro- 
ceedings instituted by Shelley to obtain possession of his 

Suis dren after Harriet's death. Hunt gave Shelley as much 

Sympathy and support during it all as it is possible for one 


fellow being to extend to another whom all the world has 


deserted. This was also, according to the best evidence 


Des . i. 


1 


‘veveet _ io trast 
bi of gon saw OT OTH OO8 ee 
ot ef .nositq of oid dviw alemet oF bewoth 

;: o alla ot Y belrtisvacd ae 
Lhe e Y ol ludreftne ,etzotesalq 2 wea seve 


9 ° ~ i . ” eat » > (ibe . #so7%q lve | ex800 20" 


: 
\ “a ms; a ? i 
: tael¢qed ed? Yo owe ,arfaed rf xet teed 
‘ a << 
sidswal teoble eld 
‘ . iL 
r goa@' bo. & yraenvicet soutrg 
: : —— : 
a . pall eat dail A Pa a 
ad ; eh 4: Tt . ts @otya ‘ec hbetiaiVv saw oi @ pif d 


: ’ as) . en: 4 
o Yew odd ul boots Yt iaaeke 7) 
: 7 Ly 
a 


| ‘ sedi : ssi ‘vad .tienmia Pos 1a 2 
. } v4 o ool if deidw gatliiee cert a ruaetat a 

f, . 

ip yex *.oveer <0) sede sc A iii lanl 

- oteoig wat “ ot 

nuh « Ieeh to ofev ah? why haot aque © + devon e. 


a 


w « ot «6. tha (ot? Yo WhReced ‘en? 10% es 


| geci? stead ots joaze oat te si ledt ed sen me 


a dado. saw @i oct ,bentatteoas newd joa. ‘wad 
¥ 


‘i 7 
.C1GL ,yrtauedet has ,Sfel winsihintie 
c : 


ferret 
€ ejcoencoo e¢faitd ett gutasd bodmonee stad aided 
pal? yorione 0 “ebte} | 


- . ow» 
-o%g eaz ete seliteal ,etiw 


to icseseog utatdo of yotleds “ perusnenat a 


* 
. 


dove ee Yolileds otag et EO teal = 
# ons 


Le i 
pro 10% ofdiuetg et of ea {fs re oo 


ede tte modw rot donm ors 


1817 


| 1818 


1819 


1819 


1820 


8 
obtainable, the year, probably the winter, in which Hunt 
met Keats. 

In this year Hunt left Hampstead for Lisson Grove North, 
where he resided at No. 13. He did not remain long. 

After leaving Lisson Grove, he resided at 8,York Buildings, 
New Road. It was here, according to Hunt, that he first 
met Keats; but Hunt is probably wrong. 

Hunt became editor of "The Indicator,” (October 13, 1819 to 
March 31, 1821) the "most racy and delectable of all his 
periodicals." During this year he began "The Literary Pock- 
et-Book, (1819-1822) an annual intended "to furnish a pock- 
et memorandum book for intellectual observers and persons 
of taste." Percy Hunt born. 

Percy Florence Shelley born, at Florence, Italy, November 
12. 

While residing at 13, Mortimer Terraca, Kentish Town (April 
6 to August 23) Keats was moved to Hunt's home to be nursed 
in his all but final illness. Unfortunately a misunderstand- 
ing arose. Keats accused Hunt of breaking a seal on a let- 
ter addressed to himself from Fanny Brawne. Keats left in 
anger, but later found out that he had accused Hunt unjust- 
ly. They became somewhat reconciled. In September of the 
same year Keats left for Rome with Severn. fhe Prince Re- 
gent, whom the Hunts had libeled(?) becomes George IV. 

Hunt removes to the Vale of Health, Hampstead. On November 
15 he and his family, at the request of Shelley and Byron, 
set sail for Italy, where Hunt is to become editor of a new 


magazine, "The Liberal,” planned by Byron and Shelley. The 


dunt! doldw alt ,r9esaiw edt yldadosq ,2eey, O49 .Ohdaataede: 7 
-ai90% | 

<A0s0% ovate sosell 160% haedequal et tauR taey als, 
gaol sismet tom bik of «Sf 108 te boblues of 
,agaldiieg At0Y,8 ta DebLoen od, a¥ond woeels baa 
taxi? of. tad’ ugh ot galbtcooss. ,.eted saw & 
.sactw qidedorg at tinal M6 

of @£85 , 61 redoto0) ", t0%a0hbat (edt to 
ald [le to efdatoeleb bas yout geom" ed? (£ 
-100% YraTetLs esT" asgod of teoy atdt goltad,, 
~<tooq @ delarut o¢" Sobsetal fevaca oe. (seek 
enoesoq how ateviesdg Lavtoollatal tot aged | 
-a7od @asH Yon 

6 .,O190 YOLeenes 4 


= 
4 


fired) nwo? daiseek ,ecetve? ténteaom Of gar 
beeusvo od of eweod a tant of bevom mw, wea { 
_-Destersbseein « uleranwewotal ,evenhsl fant? ged 
-tel.s co lees » Baitaesd: to one besvoce ajaad 
oi t2ef steel .oapwnd Yaeet mot? tloamts of. be 
~tewlow tool bepwoce. bak et fads Jno, dame? weral, ee 
| to todmptqut at ..defloeoped ratnenoe sagat ad 
SG. nT shneves goby, emoe 70%. ital ayaox | 

| opie. sonapes (g]bplestt bam sseihetia ; a 
‘ednevoH a0 ,bectagmal AL ae ed 
Mo7ys. bas geiLeds to, deoupon O6f ta aioe 
wea # to totibe emp od ot a, oun esi 


ast .gotledt bes some vs: boawade ef 


9 
boat on which the Hunts set sail was overtaken by storms and 
bad weather and compelled to lay over at Ramsgate for three 
weeks. They sailed again, and reached Dartmouth with great 
difficulty. From there they went to Plymouth, where they 
had to remain until May 15, 1822. While at Plymouth, Hunt, 
"the privatest of all public men," found himself compliment- 
ed to his pleasurable embarrasment by the presentation of a 
silver cup by some friends of the "Examiner." 
Keats died, February 23. 
Leigh Hunt, his wife and seven children, again sailed for 
Italy, May 13, They arrived at Genoa in June. On the 28 
they sailed for Leghorn and landed there on July 1. Seven 
and one half months from London to Leghorn! (Those who are 
superstitious, may find cause for Hunt's misfortune in the 
recurrence of the figure 13 in many of his undertakings ) 
The voyage had been undertaken with a good deal of hope and 
fear. Upon his arrival in Italy, Hunt called on Byron at 
Monte Nero. After his return from the visit to Byron, Shel- 
ley, who was living in Villa Magna, Lerici, came to see hin.|} 
Together they went to Pisa, which was the town abode both 


of Shelley and Byron. By previous agreement’ it had been 


arranged that Hunt should occupy the ground floor of Byron’s| 


house, the Casa Lanfranchi. After Shelley had seen Hunt 
well settled, he, together with his friend Captain Williams, 
and a seaman named Charles Vivian, set sail on the return 

to Lerrichi. All three occupants of the boat were drowned. 
Shelley's body was cremated August 16. MThe ashes were pre- 


served and buried in the Protestant Cemetery at Rome--the 


he 


T6¢% 5 . ideiestiene) sed 


slat ala qotw sedvoney om pense 


asin tise 


vs 


ai ot belleqmoo haa v8 
s ,ulege 
iy exten 
4 
oo Lids [i 
, ta) Pe 
sedme elcaiteeeacte 


ee 


ve 
x¢ to ebaels?) emos wd que ne @ 


Jeb yrqusced aad 


fio nevees baa otiw elf » oak 


—_— 


fa bHaevVit¢Ts Yen) 
f 
bebcal baa crceaged 
tc ® aid te sa 
wel an ots . tied 
4 > 


ae ’ 
. 


J f 
in 


a 8a 0 ee SSP 1 r edi ; a: ae a 


i jae - 
seisi1éefay need seed — 
ielett wf faereste aie Hog’. 


nortk arsset ale te. ay one i? 


angel ef f£2¥ at gatvil on 


: q a P 
dottw ,@etS of de we yode 


1c 


asolverng ee MONKS, nee 


yt 


selvghy sokveto tomes mm 


te 


a4 nognood eotdd pth / 
ah beranere oer 


10 


spot of which Shelley had written, "It might make one in l 


love with death, to think that one should be buried in so 


sweet a place.” 


1822-23 Hunt edited "The Liberal," which ceased publication after 
the fourth number. 


1823 After the death of Shelley, Byron's interest in "The Liber- 


al" waned, and Hunt was left to struggle with it alone. The 
sales fell off, and the "Liberal" was finally abandoned. 
After Byron left for Greece, July 13, Hunt left Genoa for 
Florence. He lived mainly at Maiano, about two miles from 
the city, on the Fiesolan Hills. It was here that Hunt made 
the acquaintance of Landor. His favorite son, Vincent, was 


born at Albaro. Hunt, at this time, was supporting himself 


by contributions to the "Literary Examiner," and other per- 


iodicals. 
1824 Leigh Hunt and his brother John had a misunderstanding about 


the proprietary rights in "The Examiner." Except for this 


slight misunderstanding (serious for the time) the two 
brothers were greatly devoted to each other throughout their 
lives. Lord Byron died at Missolonghi, Greece, March 19, 
1825 From Maiano, where he had spent "a very disconsolate time,” 
Hunt and his family set sail for Bngland, September 10. He 


arrived in London, October 14, and settled down for steady, 


but not very lucrative work, at Highgate. 


j1826 Leigh Hunt’s old enemy, Gifford, died. 


j1827 Swinburne Hunt, aged about 7, died. 
\1826 Resided at Epsom. Incurred the ill-will of Byron's admirers 


by publishing "Lord Byron and Some of His Contemporaries." 


ok 

f of evo oxem Cagle ¢1* ,sesetew bad yebiese Aelee te toga 
oe ol belted e¢ bivete eso ta89 Aarne of ,Kiteob arty | 
*,e0atg « 

tetta wobiacti¢ag Beason doldw «, fevedta oat’ betibe J 


. 
-<tedil otT" of feedooet ataonye ,wesieds te 
eft: .enofs of Ottw elggouee od oneliaan enemy 


-beaobunada yllanit sew *Lated a3 bas , ‘ 
sot soned ttel yoor .Cf aley ,e0eedD 10% trek 
mott sollm ows tvods ,amaiaw ts <ieten bevtt ane 
phan foul tet7 et0d saw > ire be © >| celowet’ odd 
eaw ,iseoalY .c0a evixovael elf .tobasd 
feemli gelivoqace sow ,emi? ald? g@ 1008 . 
-4oq tedte bas “sna indiaia ytatevic” edt OF 


1 
+ 


suods galbeoctarédbaveta 0 GPA sael seseere wha” 
ald) 10% tqe0xe *.,etimont edte el eres 
owt of% (ewlt oa? 7o¥ thotceeyp gate | 

«ied? soodguomt: testo deme. oF -Bosoven Yleaedg, Oem” ‘9 
,tagaoloset te delb sos hee 

emis o¢slossooeth yter oY casas bad of atone: | 
c OL t9émotqes , Stutgam 10d elas tom) esiaey 1A baw. 
-ybeots to? awed beleive Bas ot teeoeso: -avbaos st 
-orapepla ta row owl tanont hv #0 

best neers i earene bse, whanas coal | 

bord /¥: tude, hema) «fait oe i 7 

exertnte «' ‘eons to fLtwoidb est li ng ry 
si pot convenesune est to eno e bab wore by mies 


a * 
eit 


va ~~’ 


1 ie 
i ‘) . = ia 


— + — rv nea meee 
SS ar ES phraane gas 


mtr an 


1828 


1830-32 


1831 


1852 


1833-40 


hes4-35 


| 
| 
| 
| 


11 
Edited the "Companion." January 9 to July 23, similar in 
contents to the "Indicator." It ran through 28 numbers. 
Resided at Brompton. After the failure of "The Companion," 
Hunt started, June 5, the "Chat of the Week"; after the sev-| 
enth number the weekly was enlarged, and because it printed 
what was characterized as "news", it became subject to the 
stamp tax. But this it could not afford, so it was changed 
to a daily, and became "The Tatler." Hunt wrote almost the 
entire paper himself from September 4, 1850 to February 13, 
1832. The work undermined his health permanently. It was 
after the failure of "The Tatler" that he wrote, "If you ask 
me how it is that I bear up under all this, I answer, that 
I love nature and books, and think well of the capabilities 
of human kind. I have known Shelley, I have known my moth- 
er." George IV was succeeded by William iV. Hazlitt ved. | 
Resided at Blm Tree Road, St. John’s Wood 
Resided at 5, York Buildings, New Road . Granted 200 pounds / 
out of the Royal Bounty. Walter Scott died. 
Resided at 4, Upper Cheyne Row, Chelsea, till 1840. Of the 
neighborhood Hunt says, "the air was so refreshing, and the 
quiet of the "no-thoroughfare’ so full of repose, that al- 
though our fortunes were at the very worst, and Sie health 
almost at a piece with them, I felt for some weeks as if I 
could sit still forever, embalmed in silence." 
Established "Leigh Hunt's London Journal.” The object of 
this, according to Hunt, was, "to put more sunshine into the | 
feelings of our countrymen, more good-will and good humour, 


a greater habit of being pleased with one another and with 


te 


at 
. ot y 


igus O® ante peak } 


_ 
— r 


| ' ai dl *.t6teotbsl*’ eav oF sean 


. i , ei oae 
>) 
7 ; 700 aw ott tie: 
: L2Oen . daix robur 


5) it ~a food ina ower @ 
iY 
. -~ } oy ; o ' iL 73 Aeon evan i bata voll 


| j , veut | ' sbeeoousa é@a* ‘Vi wwreeg 
he ov sw 'utol, 2B .bee cea? mle LP 

$ . ‘ mI ¥ 

“0060. Cbeot wet .epeibf lee ta0Y «oh Fes 
th #1008 s0tlaW. .¥rnwed a cl “oe 


(rhe ,ceufedt . so enyedd vege aay 


. 46 
* to [fwt on *Otetapue’ odt-os* one 


' } it : > é'y 
ow vter of? te ore" aonwe 20% 150. 


<< Wy 

esoue Ot thet | ,wOns as iw oontg | a vi » tao 

é oa is al penladme ene vero dha a 4 
ae a" 

fi "“ fanasot seobsotl s*tuant datesr Bb 


roe tuq 08" cnt of i oe 


af 
Pr Sh « 
bun [Liw-beoog prom om rinsoe 180 
‘ jd, SH 


hed a 


fone a0: dtiw pevaetg wai 
r 


ia et Oh 
vm — 


7. 


tah 


oT) _ 
= “_e i 


everything. 
1834 Coleridge and Charles Lamb died. Wm. Morris @boed, 
1837-38 Bditor of the "Monthly Repository." 
1837 Accession of Queen Victoria. 
1840-51 Resided at 32, Bdwardes Square, Kensington. 


1840 Madame D’Arblay died. Austin Dobson and Thomas Hardy born. 


1843 Southey (poet-laureate) died. Macaulay suggested Leigh 


Hunt for the laureatship, but Wordsworth succeeded Southey. 

l1e44 A pension of 120 pounds a year was offered him by Sir Percy 
Shelley, and accepted. T. Campbell died. 

1847 Through the efforts of Lord John Russell, Macaulay, and Car- 
lyle, Hunt was granted an annual pension of 200 pounds. 
Previous to this he had enjoyed two separate grants of 200 
pounds each, one from William IV, and the other from Queen 
Victoria. Shortly before the grant of the Royal pension, 
Dickens had put on foot the project for the performance of 
"Every Man in His Humour," for Hunt’s benefit. Among those 
interested in the scheme were Dickens, Forster, Leech, Mark 
Lemon, Cruikshank, Talfourd, Bulwer Lytton, Douglas Jerrold,| 
and George Henry Lewes. From the performances Hunt realized| 
about 400 guineas. Wary Lamb died. 

lieae Hunt’s brother John died, September 7. Emily Bronte died, 

1849 Edgar A. Poe, Hartley Coleridge, and Maria Edgworth died. 

1850-51 Hunt became editor of "Leigh Hunt's Journal,” December 7, 
and continued editor until March 29, 1851, when it ceased 
publication. Wordsworth died, Hunt became a candidate for 
the poet laureatship, but withdrew in favor of Tennyson 


Resided at 2, Phillimore Terrace, Kensington. Made a visit 


ahd el it dool selreAd Sete egeite. oD. 

",ytotleoget yldenok’ eff Bo. 

oi btotoid seep; to no mae 

, notgutaced ,etaepS eobtawde , 88 

ae ncoeded uve, .bolb ath 

: | aaa, Yelvncall both foradsmws oe 

ehro® dag. vhs tan tins, oat 

vores 212.96 aid bevetto. sew 280% fe sbnaeg oak 

bold {Ledgned .%, bee 

—(# bas .yalwacsk ,llesavi atiot Brod to, sanotte | 

-abacoy O08 20 aoleaey, Lauiea ae betcory eam | 

OOS 2o edaete etarteqes off bovetae bed of alae. 

neeu—. mort sedge ods baw ,VI mallee eos ea | 

_ooteneq Leyod odd 20 taatg edd, er0TEd-_lecome | 7 

to ectamtolreq of@ 467 @eehorqg ef? 2607, a0, twq J 

paold yeoms Si doudd BTR 607, es eeOnON ahh vas 

40 ,(oeed ,tevetoT , enottpld wuew esedoe ear a? | 

»blowel eslpnod coreg 26908 .dipottat —amed t " 

ibeeiieet tae seoneath2ied ea? most anwed UIOOH, Oy 

both omed 0am | Lénontay 0 

O14 elim .% gedmeeqoe ~hedd tO’ sasiaeal 

¥ siuat jane, opi iuehod ee paak 908 fh 

Lv apcmeced *, Lento 48p8 Aphek” Xe ie ¢ 

beaseo 21 nedw ,1680L 88 dovae itdan veeine. sen 

70% a0eblbaee # amacod sash bors space but cat 
sonyane? te rors? mt wetbagie a6. 


jiolv « he 8 cory ened se na a 
a4 — wa rs Phat 


F : : J Ae 
jemecntasorey ores 
sbeay rorya mate 6 eran 3 edt ye 


_ i mn 


13 
to Bwell for the benefit of Vincent's health. Hunt himself 
was very ill at this time. Mrs. Shelley (Mary) died. 

1852 Resided at 7, Cromwell Road, Hammersmith. Here he lived the 
rest of his days. Hunt and his friends suffered annoyance 
by the general recognition of himself as the original of 
Harold Skimpole in Dickens's novel "Bleak House." The char- 
acture cast a slur upon his honesty. It was unjust, and un-| 
justifiable. But Dickens maintained that he had intended 
no slur, had not dreamed, in fact, that the less desirable 
qualities of Harold Skimpole would be attributed to Leigh 
Hunt. Vincent Hunt died. The death of this youngest, and 
favorite son, affected Leigh Hunt very deeply. Thomas 
Moore died. 

1857 Mrs. Leigh Hunt died. Her death made him feel "to belong 
as much to the next world as to this. 

1859 From January 15 to August 20, he contributed 15 papers to 
"The Occasional" in "The Spectator." He had almost com- 
pleted the final revision of his "Autobiography" when he 
died at Putney, August 28, aged 74 years and 10 months. 
Sweetness of temper, indomitable love and forgiveness, pious| 
hilarity, and faith in the ultimate triumph of good, are the 


humane and noble qualities for which we love Leigh Hunt. 


BORO RO ak ia a kk 


| In accordance with the wish Leigh Hunt had often expressed, 
| 


|}he was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, of which he had said, in 
connection with the burial there of his son Vincent, “my own final 


bed-chamber, I trust, in this world, towards which I often look in 


ee ae 


= —— —— : em 


eT 

Sfeemla tavk leet e'¢neomh¥ to tivesed ose TOR: SCORE 
<enle etds ge if wee 

ef? bevil sf ex0es .Atlwetemaal , S008 steeneet ° va | 
@cnetonns bece’tee abheohy? @14 San tee -ayeh eld to 
to [aslaiao ed9 a6 Pleamtd 20 axetsgingooet fa ‘ 
-Lano eit *, peudh pele fevong e*eaentold al ‘ 
ge Goze. ,sertjcu saw 0] .¢teeana eld apgei 
bobsetn) bad on tats _dectetarem whestosd om 
eide,aineb sael oat sade, toad ut ~bomeoxs 
dglel of bedudiaves ed Sluow eloqmlae® bic 

“9 of He > vit? beth Jaye! rr som 7 

ab vxe¥ JowR dalled bed vat key mn 

| — 
: ao. 
anoled of” [eet wid ebaw sieeh toh . heb PeaR, 
"hit OW ae botow dros oft 

o2 ateqeq 4[ betwéivscoe ef 6 tagewa, of ar 
-nec tackle ban oF ©. todas nee Cae ah: *! 
od neocw *¢deae tea ldoese eld %o ootebser 
-eciaom Of Sas staey 67 begu , 6k tough 4 ‘ 
fawole ,eseneviagvet bas evol eftverinopal reget ter 
ied’ ote . boop Yo dygavied seomteole eddy el €esat 
laut dyled ovet om tulmw cod welittamp olde 


; (eee nonme 


My =(r'aee 
q 


Ae aang Lar 


heoesergne aerto bad snot agled are ens pt 
ut ,bbae ‘bad ef dolsw to seeedeme 
teaalt oeo xa" taenah B08 or Ld on: 


at heol aevko 2 dolaw obiawor etsom oar 2 od 
a iy ial at ne jai 


14 


my solitary walks, with eyes at once most melancholy, yet consoled. 


On October 19, 1869, a monument to Leigh Hunt was inaugu- 
rated by Lord Houghton. The fund had been started at the sugges- 
tidbn of S. C. Hall, and been subscribed to by a large number of ad- 
mirers and friends, both in England and America. Among those who 
had contributed were Robert Browning (Chairman), John Bright, Thomas 
Carlyle, Charles Dickens, Lord Houghton, Lord Lytton, John Ruskin, 
Barl Russell, B. We. Proctor, Sir Percy Shelley, Alfred Tennyson, 
land C. S. Hall. According to Thornton Hunt, the monument consists 
of a pedestal decorated with the design of a "Jar of Honey,” and 
surmounted with a bust of the essayist, executed by Mr. Joseph Dur- 
han, A. Re. Aw The inscrivtion contains the fourteenth line of his 


poem, best known of all, "Abou Ben Adhem": 


"WRITE ME AS ONE WHO LOVES HIS FELLOW MEN." 


‘ot 
/CLodhosalen tom 9000 tH aeye Colw \adianw 


| . . (ati 
“VAAL seW PHOE Anlek oF Igde@uagom @ -@beat e&t rte , 


~“O9RRUR Ot: so besiade ceed bad bawt off a ot 


va"al « yd oF bediqoedge aeed baa es 
i 
ry ods SaomA  .-@olvemh bois baafaut at tod , 


© & 


amot? , oda! astet . (tame dedd) satowess iredom 


hi 
a) 


bs ie 
4) . 


~fidecH adot ,aovied baod 20 3aQ0e8 ear ee 
itaneT hewtia woltedt vo1et tle 202008 
ufolancos tueezaom eff , tow aodeses? of sattseonh a 
} baa ",¥etoH to wel” «2 to agleed eff “ile or . 
| “tut dqovotl .4K ed belvcoate , talyaese oad Yo vend 


tiv 2@ eotl dtametcwot edt sasataoo ‘sot oqi somal 


a3 
s"meddA aod vocan -ifa “Ss 


» 


" WAM VOLES G2 BYOu ouW eto ae ae 


| a 3 7 : porno * : i os rere CARE Pa RN SY WE I 


II 


ATTITUDES AND TENDENCIES 


The spirit of Hunt's work: warmth, geniality, 
acuteness, vigor. His wide reading and catho- 
licity of taste. The two-fold nature of his 
writings: creative and critical. 


Ask who Leigh Hunt was, and those whom you question will in- 
variably answer: "Leigh Hunt? Oh, yes, I know him; he’s the man 
who wrote that poem about “Abou Ben Adhem.*” And if, among those 
whom you ask, there happens to be a lover of "vers de societe”, he 


may venture, "Yes, and didn’t he write that little rondeau, 


*Jenny kissed me when we met, 
Jumping from the chair she sat in; 
Time, you thief, who love to get 
Sweets into your list, put that in; 
Say I'm weary, say I'm sad, 
Say that health and wealth have missed me, 
Say I’m growing old, but add, 
Jenny kissed me.*" 


: Knowledge concerning Léigh Hunt and his writings does not extend 
very far beyond the hazy information about the two poems just men- 
tiogd. Once in a rare while the response to the question will in- 
clude "The Glove and the Lions." This is not as it should be. For 
: Leigh Hunt at his best is worth knowing; and his best is not in 
his poems, but in his essays and in, what we may call for the want 


of a better term, his criticisms. 


The Hunt of popular conception is not the Hunt he himself 
| would have chosen to be. Except that he wanted to be known as a 


poet, his purpose was "only to teach and be taught, or if that be 


du ‘Th 
Hi 


we are a seihe 4 ail ri Z i 
nr iw a nit Lea yi , 


oy 
eee) 


16 


too presumptuous a saying, to learn and compare notes." Under 
this general statement of purpose may be included almost every- 
thing that Leigh Hunt wrote. It will exclude only the avowedly 

trivial and what is merely entertaining; and even that was writ- 


ten with an eye to one "who loved his fellow men.” 


In fact there is a spitit of companionableness about all that 
he wrote, a determination to be sympathetic with all, and thank- 
ful for even the little sweets of life. Read where we may, we shall 
find there all that a glowing wit, a genial humor, a playful imag- 
ination, a deep sincerity can provide for human pleasure and human 
betterment. This, and more,he has put into words with the magic 


of his personality. 


If Leigh Hunt does not discover for us tongues and books and 
sermons and good in all the world about us; if he does not pro- 
mote our happiness, minister to our appreciation of order and beau- 
ty, “open more widely the door of our library, and more often the 
window of the library looking out upon nature,"” then we have miss- 

ed the essentially human, rich and inclusive nature of his liter- 
ary mission. It is not matter that he is anxious to convey; rath- 
er it is the spirit of what he brings that is important in his es- 
timation. And not only is the spirit of what he wrote important; 
the spirit in which he wrote it is even more essential for us to 


catch. On nearly every page of his many books we shall find evi- 


| 1. “An Attempt of the author to Bstimate his Own Character", in 
| his "Autobiography" ed. by Ingpen. Vol. II, page 258. 


2. Thornton Hunt in the "introduction" to the "Autobiography" ed- 
ited by him in 1860. Smith,Elder Co. 


"oe ee errr Pp 
at aeeaegi oe oan eel ay eee? 


et 


cobev **  sec0c st aqmnoe bia araol o¢ “nat yee a solve 
ale 


-vieve seomio bobetor!t ed gah esoqusg TO sapmorané ‘ta 7 
tbe 


eibevovea vat lao ebeloxe rite ‘oi?  ptoae mart andes | 


thew sew t282 feve bas bagdaderxesay ‘recem at seukd 


my 
* com wollet ota pate ‘oaw" ong 

yadt Ila t0o¢e s4naotvano hteqads te ee: a a 
dnote? Ooo ,fie dtlw of veddaquge oe ot aoltaates 
iladke * Po ¢ on oseoy baek evil to et oour caddis 7 
“nari urgeta e ,t0mdd lala &@ the yaleoty. s 


jaacd bea evrsagle aaa sot cobivoug iad “iia eal 


olaee e429 dilwe abtow ofat teq aad ed otom ote ; 


ban stood bese seento} oH YW? *ovocers TOR: ven 4 
org J0n took o@ %f em feeds bliow éa2 fhe 
o¢ Dae Teh10O TO hha hati "so oO? poredate, + 
bas serto erem base erent ape “te 90K, eat aca 
ein ovad ow acts °* excdam wvau wa ptikon t een 
otti Bin to otetew aviggiont kee dott sae vite 
-#tas ‘eeveco Ot pies of od Jone <ed0an tow wa 


7 AG cld at ‘¢nesuoqal of desde ayatad en tadw 20 tia 


it Tali, 
pnadvoen stow of tadw Jo ¢ivigqa off at vhMe 
an 
o2 ew ta? Leatdneasce o8ek duo ai at otou bcd tot 


* 5 
ive belt (Leda ow exood gaan elf 9 eged vieve’ 


aoa om 


ui Ph a Soatald Key alg tant zee o¢ mo 
888 opsy 14 » lov smeqenl we 
be “giqaian beoewa” od? of ‘“goltouber 


OD, yee 


wis si © ' 
—hmrton seaman oan, 7 
— — aa repel ma heen 


17 


dences of the charming intimacy,? the tender pathos,~ and the 
kindly humanity” that ought to arouse and stimulate to generous 
activity those deeplying sympathies in every heart, which too oft- 
en are languid and inert in the daily intercourse with our fel- 


lows. 


To be sure, Leigh Hunt was not alone in his possession of 
Warmth and geniality. There were others besides him who looked 
full tenderly into the face of every man, and woman, and child; 
but it is only from his lips that we hear falling incontinently 
and sincerely the "Ah, benedicite."” A few too may have had the 
social full-heartedness, Shelley for example; the pathetic sweety, 
ness, as witness Cowley; the love of old stories, old memories, 

and far hopes, as those of Lamb; but they did not have the gen- 


ial personality that charms, the companionship that confides. 


Do we feel, sometimes, that the gentleness and charity that 
thinketh no evil, so prevalent in his written utterances, is a 
cloaked weakness, a lack of courage, of manliness? There may be 
grounds for such feeling. He tells us, in fact, that he is not a 
courageous man. “My friends,” he says, "will be surprised ..,. 

| when I tell them (and I suffer inexpressible pain in the telling 
it) that I am not a courageous man, I feel as if the respect of 
one sex, and the love of the other, were forsaking me when I say 


80; but they ought not; and this reflection re-assures me. Yes-- 


1. "A Day By the Fire." Art. XX. Reflector for 1812. 
3. "Deaths of Little Children.” Indicator for April 5 
3. "A Visit to a Zoological Garden.” in Men, Women, and Books. 


* wonatigs sclaxede ed? 30 


evotenon of ofalamlie bao wagdte oF 26900 tons “eotaw 


S 
eat bua ,~sotteq teBsaed cad 


“tto oof doldw ,Jve0ed gi0ve al scidtogeye galyiqoed woot "ae 


-fe2 «go cilw eaawooxmiat villas ond? wl teat bate 


ve 
% 1 


wlecouscq sid af saote sou paw Ceek 


— 


e Pls) 7 ie Oe ‘ : 
bevool enw aid sebleed etedde onde erect .¢titels 
: ; : ij 


shblids bas ,Hamey baa , ean _T0ve to eoet edd 

' ‘ 
yid¢nen igbonl sailier tec ot dads aqil etd ss 
6a7 bag ived Vea 007 wet 4 ” ettothemed “ny 
sieews olseas ie ede ; oLgmaxe 70% eel lode ae | 
+solvomem bf0 ,adftosm Blo ta evel eng L0H 00) : 
198 St ovad Jou BID yods smd pémad Be onodd, 


.sebltaoo tac’ qtkuaclaequed of? , setae 


sy 
o © ¢@ 


fast «iitado bia sseneliney oat sais 1 ROMLG ONG tm 
e al , SOOna ter ta noté¢iaw aia tel tnetavorg ow afm 

ec You ernat Teeqniloem to ,ogetags to does | a o 

k ak od tadi ,tcoet at ,40% effod of walteet 

vey Doalsgaes od: <aaae «aye ac + ebaedar, gue 
aciflet ef3 al steg eidigeerguent vettoe IT tod, aw. 

Go feeqeot oft ti an Leer f wry swoonetsos & tog e sa 


+ 


--00Y .om soxgnea-es golinettes op bee va98 a ee: 


vse I sedw om gaitgeno? etew .teceo ond to qree aig 


-S£81 20% 1tegoeltem , aR “@ 
4 {ixqgd 10% s9¢e0lhnl "mesh 
-sa608 baa -nomew KOM sh > spenink 


18 


circumstances, known only to myself, have shown me that the organ- 
isation I was horn with has been weakened, by subsequent cares and 
demands upon it, into a mortifying destitution of physical courage. 
eee But I have great moral courage. Allow me a pale face and a 
little reflection; and as there is scarcely a danger in life which 
I have not hagzgarded, so there is none I could not go through with 
in a good cause. Physical courage is very often moral weakness. 
It is easier for some to jump on pointed spikes than to face taunts} 
of cowardice, easier to undergo physical punishment than to tell | 
a truth. We need but measure our mistrust of Hunt’s strength with 
our knowledge of his practiced courage, and we shall not long be- 
lieve that he lacked moral fibre when moral fibre was needed to 
maintain his principles and his convictions in the face of opposi- 
tion. He had principles and convictions, and moral courage in 
abundance to maintain them. In the days when liberal opinions were) 
@ dangerous possession, he held them and expressed them in no une | 
certain terms. He spoke straight from conviction, firmly and with- 
out fear. For his temerity he suffered with calm constancy an im- 
prisonment of two years which by slight submission he could easily,| 
and without any great violence to his principles, have evaded.* 
But we are glad he did not evades his mission was to "teach.” And 
unless the ideals formulated in words are worked out in deeds we may] 
not be convicted of their verity. But so convicted we accept them 


as an inheritance. The worshiper of physical heroism will find 


1. Quoted by R.B. Johnson in his "Leigh Hunt," p. 139. 


2. “Autobiography.” Revised by Thornton Hunt. vo. 208. See also 
"Leigh Hunt's Correspondence," vol. I. pages 69-98, for inter- 
esting side lights on his life in prison. His prison period ex- 
tended from Srd Feb., 1813 to Srd Feb. 1815. 


ar 


om avode eved , tfeayn od et wo avons » Poona 


peadde yd ,beseteew coud aad \dtlw rod. ae | 


Fa 


sSrt000 [aolevdq te aoiratiéacd ‘ealertedod a otal ot ro 
6 oblae & o@ wotls -Ogatg09 lato ere ovad 
Heoldawe ertli ; roggad ® tleovece alt eted? sa tan: ia 
j¢iw dacorss o% oo bivoo 1 oaea et oxect o8 bent 
.eeeurtac om aet?to tre ai egstaeg faotaete . 
Race woat O23 sad? sedlige betsleq ae amet oF ono aoe 
[fet of sed? tagedelowq Laoleyig ep xebaw od xoteae, 


Ay 


Aviw cigpetia s'tack to seersvela two ota eee tad 


7 
: Fat 


eat : sf eon Iliad 5 ow bie ~e@netros heoktoang old: dee 
en saw otdlt Letom sedw ext laren coient ad tas 
to eoat ‘ed? “&f saolvolyaoe aid baa cotatoniam 


oo laaom bas ,sanitelrvaoa bee eelgloaiag 


me 
. 
i Le ee, 7 
S10" lnigo Iaetedi! aedw eged en? al “Rods atetsben o@ 
of * al oode’ bodwetyxe Baa weds phew de sokeawad 
-Ailiw baa efor? ‘ao tentyded mdvt shalaves etpqe ae 
wml ai xousdetpe mien ae bprevtae ov atayeod, tent 6 


‘Witeee Bivea se WoL welndie’ ere ud dati 180% ows te 
f 

* bebevd ovVad , edly ftirlad ole od eons tory oui bee 

Bip) if 


Od 


bak *.doaet” of sav wd leat edu: sebave gon bib ae) 


U 


ho ow ehoe’ cl tun bexttow ons ‘eba0w al beratioag®: ite * 


mod? tqecom ew betolvaon o8 Yaw iyttdey: stead te pes: i: 


hui? Lilw maelowed laciayag 6 vag titerow wat aa S34 


te of “fone Aploa* ets ct ne 


oefe e968 , 808 18) ten aosexea? pi 
-intal tot ,32-® SOgaq-ul sige * 
xn bot req noelte ai otto wd 1G wt) & 

S£08 Paige one a 


a te rie 


: i ) nn 


19 


| very little in Leigh Hunt to emulate; but if practical application 
of ethical principles, and moral obligations unhesitatingly and 
vigorously performed,have any claim on hero worshipers, then he wil 


be of those who inspire others to take heart again. 


But it is not only the spirit of Mr. Hunt's work that we not- 
ice; his wide range and catholicity of taste also attracts our at- 
tention. Charles Lamb, in a sonnet entitled "To My Friend the In- 
dicator,” hints at the compass of his reading and the universality 
of his taste. In an anonymous contribution to the "Indicator" (it 


is signed by four stars) he says: 


Your easy Essays indicate a flow, 

Dear Friend, of brain, which we may elsewhere seek; 
And to their pages I, and hundreds, owe, 

That Wednesday is the sweetest of the week. 
Such observation, wit, and sense, are shewn, 

We think the days of Bickerstaff returned; 

And that a portion of that oil you own, 

In his undying midnight lamp which burned. 

I would not lightly bruise old Priscian's head, 
Or wrong the rules of Grammar understood; 

But, with the leave of Priscian be it said, 


The Indicative is your Potential Mood. 


Wit, poet, prose-man, party-man, translator-- 


H---=, your best title yet is InDIcator.?* 


AK KK 


1. Hunt quotes this sonnet in No. LI of the Indicator for Wednes- 
day, September 27, 1620, in an essay entitled "On Commendatory 
Verses.” In a characteristic comment upon the sonnet, Mr. Hunt 


ry, 


Roivasoliqee faohieserqg ti Qe6 sedaelowe ot net dates at 
boe ylgjaliasicerag esolitagii¢an fwrom ban - 0Lqtontag 
piiw of sedi ,ateqinsvow Ores go mlelo gee oved, hemrota¢ 


“lege ttH06 exet of siesto etiguas 


-tom ev Jad? crow oftdet sao slats ede @hner 
da 190 aioarits cule stant to viieliogiso 
at ed? baelad Ul ot" belelvas teanoa e al h, 


"art 
eiilsaeveviaw ef7 Baa pulbeet ela Yo sesqaes wey : 


ror 


2) “ac2eethat’ oe 08 no fd ed batnda. tsoeysoaa ¢ 


rayae ‘a es 


.wolt « eieoibal eyeaed y 

sees etedvesie yam ow doldw etiand to 
,0% ,ebewbaud Dae ,] orgeg, ahead 9 

sieow edt 9 tumpoows ong a wade 
Wess OTB canes bes otiw .tOhoawr 
sSoatader teetetexoléd to agah au) 

/ARe HOE +i Tua? Yo wo hiaog e) 
rbemnnd doldw qhel téababie venenee 
-Ca0d t'agloels’ blo seleed vi paigh es von p 
‘Aged anebad sammar® to oolun out : 

cbtea at od tebowles xo eraed a, wate 
‘hood Lalinginy w0y ah, 
--x9tatanand Hany tag saemeonert, 
+ sonaoramt: at toy eoahe raed set 


bei i 
° eae , Ja 
Le i 


~eeabe® tot so¢anlbat, ond, ‘ee, ie Om et 
Yictabeonsey oO* Selvigay tetas on at 
Joc isk ,2Jénn0m on? woqu: bets se Bit 


om rmee siiina lnteeralee ee 
— ey 5 Soteneeeary fe 


20 


If we accept the statement in the thirteenth line of the sonnet as 


literal fact, and interpret the fourteenth line liberally and sym- 


pathetically, we have a text for a dissertation on Leigh Hunt that 


will include nearly everything worth gaying about him. To be all 


that is implied in the last word of Lamb's sonnet, a man must be 
familiar with a vast field of learning. Proof of such familiarity 
is evident in the pages of his "Indicator," the "London Journal,” 
the volumes entitled "The Town," "The Old Court Suburb,” "A Jar 
of Honey from Mount Hybla,” "A Book for A Corner,” “Imagination 
and Fancy,” ‘Witand Humor," "The Wishing Cap Papers,” and in 
many more of his numerous publications. Not only is such proof to 


be found in his printed works; but his contemporaries, friends with 


whom he was in frequent converse, testify to his literary range. 


Universality was his distinction. Men there were among his 
contemporaries keener than he, and more brilliant,- Lamb, for exs« 
ample, and Coleridge, and Hazlitt, and Shelley. Theirs was a rare 
insight, but into certain limited fields only,- an insight deeper 
and more see-er like than his. He did not have the pathos of Lamb, 
could not follow the philosophical lucubrations of Coleridge, fell 


short of Hazlitt’s incisive criticisms, and could only worship the 


says, "Every pleasure we could experience in a friend's approbation 
we have felt in receiving the following verses. They are from a 
writer, who of all other men, knows how to extricate a common thing 
from what is ordinary, and to give it an underlook of pleasant con- 
sciousness and wisdom. We knew him directly, in spite of his stars. 
| His hand as well as heart betrayed him. (Here he quotes the sonnet) 
"The receipt of these verses has set us upon thinking of the 
good-natured countenance, which men of genius, in all ages, have 
for the most part shown to contemporary writers; and thence, by 
| @ natural transition, of the generous friendship they have mani- 
fested for each other. ... But generosity is natural to the human- 
ity and the strength of genius." Were the last sentence unquali- 
fiedly true, Leigh Hunt would be a genius. 


SS 7enceoa #87 to esil sAtmesdalds edt pl trenetats ons, f 


“Oye 5268 Yilerecil eaisl sineetemot edt sorgquedal bas ry 
k a) 


bad? ¢ook dalet ao cnolsaraeseds S: 102 Seed os evad ew VE 
rie ed of -Ol0 J8GGH JaLyeue Sisow Quldsyrtere citsem eb 
eo fan im 2 ,Je@euoa a'dmad YO brow tseal ed? at a. 
B. Reirel liner cece ro Véeee! jenteedet ae ruav'e “a 


i ne — oe cake es 7 ¢ ‘ | 
i tense in toteobsab® ate to. veeee 4 La 


| # “.Czudal @yeod BIG ese Sie auee oct" beset —= 
an 
boijanipent*® ,¢goaxed «2 rot deeg gM “, elev sero moae” 
) ci . ‘ ry rr q is 
al boa *,at09]¢gat ced nolselv ent’ © w,omwh basi Leah 
f ie hu 
| oe? hho ut Sooe ea viao tog ~anror teoiidue avo Twmee >) | 
e ' * FE iy 4 it) 
| hiiw ehaeltt ,eolzetoqemesnon eid ted 3: ealcow bosaleg. | 
i wt 
| | : 7 : 
. -O9G87 ytaresli ald of gthiee? . ean]esvaes taenpentd gp 
ee ee 
| ein goons .0708 @r1e#! week .nolvsonlielbd als aaw wots 
{ * 


Aze 10? ,Cwmi +, ¢natliliad @xem Baw od watt Tonwedl 
et2% «a ew etter’) -Eelfed®. baw 4d teas bas ene! | 
toqeeb. igfgleg! sa -,ylnd eablets bediaif sineree ob 
-CMai YO sediag O83 eved foa S10 of phd Meme ons am 
{let ,esdicelyo to atolteétosl Leoldgoseiiie ond 


og3 gitasow gleo Bleoe baa, emelelaiis ovietoaa ata 


Ps ¢ ie 
| “y 
aollacotqg¢e s'hrelat es al e¢metteque ashbas ow wasene 
5 701) cia yett ,seetev aniwollot agg yee i 
Holos Teemoo, & elaoleine of KOK aWond , com Gedso 
“soo taneasle Ye Moukvehaw ue th ovlg of Bae ,¥t 
sevace ald Yo ellqs st ,yltoetld ald went ee! seen re aa 4 
‘Ceuaen 642 gotonp-ef ete) .aka bovartod trnen en af 6 “a i 
oat to “ giatlaalae Soqy 68 268 eed senney onedd Yo ; we or 
evan ,sege Lia al ,epiaeg to gom doidw -foceseda: bbl 
ve ,sonen) baa serxetineg Lresegnetereiey cs 
-igan oved yedt qidshagiat ool a 
-Kenwd eft of Desutun al vihequoney 7 
-ilenyou onueiase ghat ode wiayw °"*. 


pase! weit 


21 


poetic genius of Shelley. But something of each, and a little of 
what none of them possessed at all, was Leigh Hunt's portion. He 
ranged from Homer to the least and greatest of his own contempo- 
raries, and far enough into the future to shoulder into fame men 


of his own period in whom he detected genius not yet apparent. 


This appreciation of worth wherever lodged we see in his in- 
sistence, again and again, on the music of Spenser’s verse fit to 


"make heaven drowsy with the harmony" 1 


of it; on the beauty, then 
entirely neglected, of Chaucer's poetry, in whose hands, according 
to Hunt, it “burst into luxurience ... like a sudden month of May . 
ee and rises in the land like a clear morning in which you see ever 
thing with rare and crystal distinctness ;"~ on the supremacy of 
Shakespeare over the "improvements" of Dryden. Not only, however, 
did he understand those that had gone before; but authors of his 
own time, whose unrecognized genius fell under the ban of "estab- 
lished" criticism, were championed by him into a measure of self- 
confidence. This was no small thing. Many a man, less unselfish, 
would have climbed to his own fame on the stepping stones he laid; 
instead he allowed, encouraged in fact, others to mount them to 
their fame... Not only were Keats, Shelley, and Wordsworth his debt 
ors; but Tennyson could look from his laureatship and see Hunt's 
recommendation; and Browning could feel Hunt's touch of kinship 


because he, before others, had recognized promise in "Paracelsus." 


Besides his wide learning, and the happy taste for extricat- 


ing the uncommon from commonness, and giving it an underlook of 


rm rr ES 


1. “Imagination and Fancy.” p. 64. Smith Elder. One vol. 
2. “The Seer." Specimens of Chaucer, No. L. 


‘ aie J he > 


ts a 


-1oa0 to galdvemoe Jug vok feme v0: 90 


"cast dalek eav,..ifm de boneeunog mpd dy 


i 
Rn 


126 Lv (aetouty Soa Jeset ea ov 18m0H | 


ieblcodese O23 oxetw?t edt. eent AQSOne 


-THOTAGCS LOY JOK euhmoy betoetod ed modw at bolt 


+ «@ an 
etl'suid cl pen os swanee “Levoredw ainow to noteos a0 
i rs: 
o ri yateVv s*teagencs te ofeam od ahd ‘ythegs baa 


Pes? ,vtceod ons wo 32% to * “¢comtan’ ony aglw a 
Balhxocoa ,absat eeoxtwont UtI90¢ a*toobany to ade 
‘ eA) tc dinom cebbye a oif.... oonettmxet ona se 
Tove os coy coldw at guieiom aaelp a ombE buat ona! 1 
to Yoeretgws edt an "*; seent gad babs inaayig ta ica 
,teVevon ,ylat 78 mebysd ty “J 9.emevo~ qake ite 
sin Yo stotites, tud seroted sada bas, tadd vaons 
“da300" to aed éti4, t0hau Lhet sotaog bea inyooorite 
“tits %© argesen # odal old yd booo iqmado ora of 
-Haltioruss ad -ttae o he -anbes ae Qs sow oti ap 
jblel of secede, galggota wis oe ome nwo els ‘ed bed 
O° maby isseom of atedito deame ah be oganwo ome, -oovorn 
Seas aid Avioweabs ow ba ‘thi beda. -ateat grow tne ait 
a Yeun e60 bia. ‘wi getnes nail: old mox? toot bios, ao : ; . a a 


rai ane 
eipesse ‘te towed. s'towml Leer blvon, aainwors baw al rr! 


"bent oourad at ea haga phusagenes baal, ' oxeseo 4c “a 


fens, Tr 


ran ite 


~teoladep 10? Stead taqed er baw pateraet bie a 
si id ‘a7 a ion oy 

to deokiebew cw ot gaiveg ‘baw Berto 
aoe ha we ie i 


a oe 


- i 


for bo sienm dota Th J 


ll ———— — 


22 


conscious wisdom, as he says of Lamb, Mr. Hunt did much in the 
fields of creative and critical literature. The dividing line, 
however, between these two literary interests is not always clear. 
ly nor easily distinguishable. Often his creative and critical 
faculties, like mischievous twins, wander over the fields teasing- 
ly linked arm in arm, until we are not certain that either is not 
the other. But for purpose of logical treatment and clarity, we 
may, by allowing some overlapping, group the material we wish to 


examine under these two heads. 


If giving us the sweets of other writers flavored with the 
charm of his own personality were Mr. Hunt’s only contribution to 
literature, even then, those who have not the temerity to adven- 
ture in unknown fields of romance and poetry without a guide, may 
well feel that Mr. Hunt is very much worth while. But fortunate- 
ly for the more adventurous, that is not the measure of his serv- 


1 In many of the 


ice; and neither is it the extent of his work. 
essays scattered through the pages of the "Examiner," "Tne Indi- 
cator." and "The Companion,” "The Seer," "The London Journal,” 
“The Liberal," The Reflector,” "The Tatler,” "The Chat of the 
Week," and "Leigh Hunt's Journal" we detect very little if any of 
a critical attitude. To this list of periodicals we may add such 
books as the “Autobiography,” "The Town," and “The Old Court Sub- 
urb.” And very entertaining reading matter may be found in the 


] compilations made by him and called "One Hundred Romances of Real 


Life," “Readings for Railways," 1850, and “Readings for Railways,” 


| 1853, 


1. R. B. Johnson, “Leigh Hunt.” pp. 116-135. 


} 
r 
(| 
‘ 
: 
4 
4 


[oof Yo eeossrot herbed. and" bested baa aks uw 


L© 


20 oct" 


- i 


‘ 
: 
of 


be 
‘7 


a 


4 o 


ee 
aezd Iaolgol 2o ooog tog, a6. a8 


> 


ete’ 
ic ’ 
2 ) 
iw “td 


ivagen ef? 


o 


* dxow ald to teexerene 91 Gls 


-orcnvevedifl feshviag baw ovttaano: 


setetal etaxerti ows eoavd? aeowsets, 


sobaaw ,aclw? cnovetdeete a 


aleastien ton ote bY SaRee te bball ate 


T7048. Perepat ts v0 omoe de 


end 


“,se0d ent* * Cokmagnod 4 
* telésaT ‘ 
| ae 
vim ti ef%o1I voor Foeteb ow “Lagieey ~~ 
ov eféoloelzeq- 3o Yalke eta of venus 


" S20 "Lewo? eat” ") qdanrpodeods 
bawot oe Ua’ deeeem gotbser aainindsetae 


“,eyeultiea£h tot ‘ore bxo ret’ anda 70%. mn 


a a —— 


tat ; ~ iy 
i 
y 


Cigé to ayes of se ,Ohahw, 


TT 


ettQ)|6- ofdadelwgatrels a 


a 
Tee 


we 


ahead ows ovens 


sexe tiilesouteg 
vad OAW ened? sone ae 
bie gbasno’ a 

dowm {te $4 jnw® one 


oh tan? , evoredevba 
To sepeq on7 pein 


ont *,a0rnet ton “an 


K i 


hs 


i \ on 4 ih 
o 1 bare eat 


23 


In all these writings, what an array of lively, gleesome, 
witty, humorous, fanciful, suggestive, serious, and pathetic essays 
he has produced! And in all of them he has made an effort to 
please the light-hearted and laughter-loving, to hearten the sick 
and the solitary. Pleasanter pastime of a light literary sort for 
the L'Allegros of life it would be hard to find; deeper sympathy 


for those who mourn and sit in darkness few have given us. His 


whole teaching of himself,as well as others, insinuates the duty 


of cheerfulness, not for the selfish acquisition of one’s own ease, 
but for the sake of making a happier atmosphere for others. His 
writings are keyed to fine emotion and keen sensation; they are 
not highly ethical; rather they reflect a hearty loving nature, a 
sunny spirit, a happy man, a good man, a man not given to vindic- 


tiveness ,and one who speaks the truth. 


The veil of optimism that he drew between himself and the 
harsher realities of life was not for his time only. His outlook 
Was not nineteenth century, neither was it entirely eighteenth as 
some of his commentators would have us believe. When Mr, Hunt con-| 
cerned himself with emotion and sensation, time and place did not 
matter much. At such times he saw past and present alike in the 


alluring light of imagination and fancy. 


In this respect some of his essays are not unrelated to those 
of Charles Lamb. Both men had the rare gift of writing about seem-| 
ing trivialities in a light-hearted but subtle way, relating them : 
often to the deevest things of life, In Mr. Hunt as in Charles 
Lamb, we sometimes come upon those flashes of humor which make the 


essays irresistable and unique. Even as Elia and Bridget in the 


—— EEE 


seels ,ylovil Ye qeite sa tan ,epbiéiaw ooed? CF 


ia ,2onolten -oviseonawe »teilovtat . eres 


chan saci of mete te Lie wt bak {beoniem 
— 
iI + ,usivoloteviquel bib bodtoed-tagee 
; Me « je 
ig aa “€ 0 aaisveaq sevcaseel? «(te 


ttt of Bead “ed biser vi otif 6 


ar. 


el 


rl ‘ven vet seondtab al ste van anabe | 


\fawaient ,e1e00 ea Stee 6, foomtd we rr 


‘, 


‘eno-to soljlelepoea dattfea ene ot to nag 


‘eoto tot etedyacava séfeqad-s nelson to 
ete yor? ;a0t2eacee foot bas noi tome alt o9 ‘ogi 


: =< ; oA 
S ,Ouyerec uoivel giiaed a toel tet yon? <odvant tenn at 


) 
-olbalv oF acevisa fen Si 8 ,f8am $063 « + em Vegan eas 


ane 


-iJout ed? etwege caw a0 fh 


J bus tleenld neowted weab on sande wee wa 
Jooltuve wl out at pats oid tO foe baw otil Ao sotyit 
ie Géisceotiuie qgieti¢ne $2 sow teodilew ,ydetees Gees oe 

> jaw .14 aodW .owelled ew wvaa bYwow stotatmonmeg 
fod Bit eoalg ban emt? ,aoltsertes baw nolgeme ole 0 
sit al evila *eeeetqg baw faaq veo on somis done 3Q) 
-yormeat bon Ay 1 4 


eoocs oF Satelenttn gon eta syscee, ofa Xo, aioe reogeen 6 
~meee toda gattiaw 46 ttle ede wat bad aon ‘stog 
on? goicaler .gew elgdne tad bet sayd-tagit 2 at 
eolrmitd di te rant «st al ers to wanids: 240 | oon, 
ott etem Aotde sowed Yo souvent eens: “aoe ; — ; . 
ec) af jeopbiwt baw’ of mm se os be ce fues 


24 


illusive essay on "Old China," discussing "the good old times, be- 


fore we were quite so rich," make us ashamed of our uneasiness for 


luxuries unsatisfied, so Hunt with a delicate and fine touch pierc- 


es our selfishness, convicts us of our uncharitableness, and puts 


to rout our self-indulgent fallacies. Just as Mr. Lamb with his 


wisdom in levity makes us recognize a brotherly consideration for 


mistakes and circumstances; so Mr. Hunt with a jovial hilarity ban- 


ters us out of our moroseness, and guickens in us a livelier con- 


sciousness of our blessings and everyday duties. Though Mr. Lamb's | 


achievements may be of a higher order, Leigh Hunt's undoubtedly 


come nearer to human nature; if Lamb was more pithy and brilliant, | 


Hunt possessed greater sincerity and earnestness. Much of Lamb's 


peculiar charm arose from a certain whimsical far-awayness and del- 


icate romanticism that hardly touches our actual experience, while 


Leigh Hunt’s sentiments and characters are literal transcripts, 
1 


sifted and composed, but not touched up. Neither the characters, 


nor the world in which they move are artificial in Hunt's writings.| 


And it is this reality, this at-one with ourselves in our own ev- 


ery-day world that gives what he describes a place in our hearts. 


From the creative to the critical is an easy transition, if 


transition it is; for the difference between the two is not al- 


ways clear, nor definitely marked. Mr. Hunt, we are sure, was not 


born with a critical technique, and it was not in his nature to 


acquire one. He was born with attitudes and tendencies: attitudes 


to receive, tendencies to praise what he liked. Someone has kind- 


ly called him the "Ariel of criticism." And this was certainly 


1. B. Johnson. "Leigh Hunt." p. 119. 


Re 


“ed ,hemit ble buow eke" galeemnel® *, pasa BLO” wo waue ot 
70% Qnocisgeaes tao to beastie ee otter "ott oa otinug 
oTesG Hoseor oalt has oraoliad a ddiw feet os proltals r 
aiug bce ,savneldetl<endoae,. ive te et eJolvaeo ie as 

sid dtiw ¢med .t% wp Sew .evloaltar tne iubat =) 


=~ 


to% Hollertobiaads eluedieed a eningooes an pach: 
‘iad tiiaze! is aivo, sg dite Sauk «IN o@ jeeonar aa 


aos asilevil # ao a! saedodup baa /seemesotse 

Ba e@naad .1 dawon’ -80.70D YadovtEeve one col pente 
Yibertcuebae a'inek talel .tebs0 Fosaté, oa Ly a 

ot ‘ariitse boa yorle oxom easy coed ti ;sxeta0 
'dmai 30 Aoue -88ectaentae baa ct ireomls Tete 
feb bag seonyawe-rat fans aay Re stsasyeo a Hoey 
olidw ,goceireqze Isutoa 190 pedewss qlbted tana | 
~8%aluoensad? Latest e112 «10? Gea taeio san. oteaulial 

» 8703 Of14d ode Toaviel od hedowort tom sed «bel 
Mie faseb ib tduean inl letottirwe wna ovom yedy Aotad af 
“ve oo “we wo sweredasid Silw @zo-Ja wid? wierd 


-3700d4 *Uc a! soele a aeedbauosad ed tain mire sate ih 


tf ,wolvilesae? gose ze al Lfasié¢iao on? of eriteee | 
-.6 (08 of owt of coowted oscdedett ib ‘ods 0% ‘st 
708 Ge” .otve O18 OW , do ch J bedtdan elosinstes m0 
ov ‘exten etd at tox maw gt baa ,omplattoes feorst 
»etliis reelomehbtet baw selbweteve, dole nag tay r 
-haid sat enceaot bolt off J anw ealarcq ot wet 
ulala? reo caw aide bah Raisiaiiien diet a bean? wil at 

| | ; ws 


J Pe ne man am.” bl 


f * 4h 


25 


true in that he was not confined by the "cloven pine" of "estab- 


lished" criticism. 


Professor Saintsbury, by no means always kindly disposed to- 
ward Hunt, says that "His criticism is very distinct in kind. It 
is almost purely and in the strict and proper sense aesthetic-- 
that is to say, it does hardly anything but reproduce the sensa- 


tions produced upon Hunt himself by the reading of his favorite 


passages." This may not be,--certainly was not at that time, the 


“established” mode of criticism; but since the selections he made 
for the two volumes, “Imagination and Fancy," and "Wit and Humor," 
are the result ofthis kind of criticism, and since these select- 
ions reveal a sense extraordinarily keen and accurate, we may con- 
clude that his insight was "safe" enough for the sort of criticism 
he attempted. In another estimate of Hunt, Mr. Saintsbury states 
that "He has left a very large range of critical performances, 
which is very rarely without taste, acuteness, and felicity of ex- 
pression; and he has, as against both (Hazlitt and Lamb) the great- 
er critics just named, the very great advantage of possessing a 
competent knowledge of at least one modern literature (Italian) be-| 
sides his owne?. . in truth, nine-tenths of his criticism is admir- 
able, and most admirably suited to instruct and encourage the av- 
erage man."° Even Lamb, in his own favorite authors and subjects 
misses much which Hunt unfailingly discovers. He may not always 
give you a valid reason for his conclusions concerning the beaut- 


ies he has just pointed out, but for very many readers a true o- 


1. Saintsbury, "English Literature, 1780-1860. p. 223, 224. 
2. Saintsbury, "A History of Criticism," III, 246. 


S. Saintsbury, "A History of Criticiam," III, 250, 251. 


a 
= 


“Saigo” to “otig sevgio” oft Ye Senltaon ton saw en tade 


,mototd bes 


0? heecgell ylowix atawls epeen on ¥a eUteoOe7alsd 1088 


= 


‘el melolsiee aiz” stady 


ea 
. 
~ 
La 
4 
? 


dtasp concen teqedg baa totade of? BP bne 
-#ea¢e of ere sed gpalesyas visual noob af 4) 
eiixovaet slid %o ac thaer sd? yd thoumtd aah sai 
,ealy yas te Som sav 1 vimtadeeeeseed toa tam 

ebam od condi vostes ois eoalea ted gmalotsixze to 
*, tev dna. ol bas “.¢ouet jae coltasigawt®  & 
~2001@@ paet? comle baa ,malioliiaoc to pals "i 
~f00- Yer ew ,é@ézea%¢ose base seed clinanibioendite 
melaizi YO #398 Od? OT Agrone “etea® saw aged 
decase Yiudetate? .4e dea te beads se Teeeemee 
et6onemrotrted Iaoltiads Yo quest omnes “tev @ 
=? TO YFIOLIGOT baa , ceoneduna Seay ?eodtiw’ eto: 
—$ee%% of? {dmad bao 32 feed) itod senewah ee tes 
| & natlaegeeog 106 easteatse teers Yx8¥ oMy domed ten 
-od (celia?!) exegareti£ daobom eae jaded ta 20 


-thebe af seloilaico ald te edtaed-ecln ,ddeae al yao 
ime ‘i 


“¥S ey e3e7G00m0 baa soariant of hatlve gldexints gam 
. E W | Pw 


F290(080 bas atodgue etl toved avo aic at Smal more 
‘quip joe Yan of .etevoost® Yiualitetag jagm wots 
~'haed eft ailusencoo eaoteplogoe aid tot xoaget Site 
-9 owt 4 Btobaey yoom ¥teY 10% dad .énG besaleg teat 


$38 C82 .4 .GebL-0800" ddadageeed detly 
OBS Ii “,geleisgiad to 


[45,08 . TLL ©, malobetsd to xe 


a oy te 


ul 
1-1) oth ce 0° Soe mth - 
eS ne arnt mY SHE Schiele me tree ta 
i 4 Tey 
i mM ' 


pinion persuasively stated is of much more consequence than the 
| most logical justification for it; and it is this persuasiveness 


that makes Leigh Hunt’s criticism such excellent reading. 


According to Edward Dowden the "best criticism is not that 
which comes out of profound cogitation, but out of immense enjoy- 
ment; and the valuable critic is the critic who communicates sym- 
pathy by an exquisite record of his own delights, not the critic 
who attempts to communicate thought." One wonders what would be- 


come of most critics if that became a "rule-enforced,” But Mr. 


Hunt would stand very high, would, indeed, be the best of critics; 


for certainly no criticism was ever the outcome of an enjoyment 
greater than his. Other critics, of his own circle even, undoubt- 
edly had a firmer intellectual energy, a more vigorous close-reas- 
oning faculty; but there is none of the race of critics who se- 
lects with such unerring and delicate tact, or recommends his finds 
to the enjoyment of others with such insinuating persuasiveness as 
Leigh Hunt. He holds open the door in the house of Literature, 

and with a smile that illuminates the Beauty within, invites us to 
feel once more the thrill of contact with that which each of us, 


in our heart of hearts is seeking. 


~ au 


; Poa se 
o S3 o¢ ,beebai ,bloow ,daid yto” boats DS. 


avuioglvY ofom 2 ,.vHteRO Invdcoliedms von 
solzlur eoat OAs Te onmon of onede Gud 


Lommoocedt 10 .!f oat oieoli ow hae yolivtene 


tom dopn to af betata glevidane 
base ;%! «0% wohgarltisvest rf 


ose dove reloliino © nek dated 


o-7a0¢" off cedbwot Srawhe of gee 


10¢ ~MoltJaetigoo Savotery to Gm 
“@ | 
tiga edd ah. ottieo (omit 


-sidniled awo ald to biesex o2 {ok Gpme 


e20 -teégroa? eteotapanen oF 
& 
sheototace-elee" 2s omeced fade ti cot atme: ta 
_— p : of 4 
oO ? 
ue tO emoovoo eds tore caw meloddiag ame 


eofotioc awe eld Yo eeolalito d0gge +i 


stey galtesateant does Agia azedae te sa 
‘o ened qi at x9ob eke mege abled ot 


-Cisgie ysuen€ of! sodaninal ih tens ol kee 
a tan 
foldw dedd dilw toasnos 16 it iune ea? @ 


r 


-gcidoes ef efiaed BO F 


® 
aot a) 
ey 
i 14 / a 
A i. wv if - / : 1 qu 
1 ‘eo y Hy i 
{ > yin i Ps 
‘ i i . fio) 
4 el a a) p v 
Oy ’ vy ay f , bi 
rs ‘ - ne Va 
a uy i 7 


27 


Tit 


HONESTY AND IDEALS 


Leigh Hunt’s humanity. His subjects. 

His intellectual honesty. His moral 

honesty and abidingness. 
We stand in respectful awe of certain forms of literature; 
| others we approach with condescending familiarity. To some we go 
for tense appeal of passion and the cry of a soul in pain; to oth- 
ers for the relief of laughter and smiles that break through tears. 
Some we admire, others we love. Of tne former we have the epic, 


the tragic, the heroic, and of the latter the lyric, the romance, 


the essay. 


To trace the genesis of the essay, and follow it in its his- 
torical development from its beginnings to tne time of taten Hunt 
would lead us far from our present purpose.! For us it is only 
needful to state that the essays of Hunt have an unbroken geneol- 
ogy. Sometimes it is said that Hunt was a belated eighteenth cent- 
| ury essayist. This may be accepted with sufficient reservations. 
| rt is true only in so far as it was his purpose to foster a finer 


| taste for literature; in this he was in harmony with them. But the 


| 1. Accounts of the Essay may be found in the following: 


"The English Familiar Essay," edited by W.F. Bryan and R.S. 
Crane. Excellent historical and critical introduction and good 
bibliography. 

"The Essay," by Orlo Williams (Art and Craft of Letters) 

“The English Essay and Essayists,”" by Hugh Walker. 

"The English Essay," in SOCIAL STUDIES by Laura J. Wylie. 


ba 


cif 


LACT Tks YUOGRBOR 


Czs 818 «ytlasa@ud dann Ggled. at 
AN) £Utdoeed Lautoeliosah eit Te 
 snengalhiga bie tanec > 


~ 


fia 30 OQortet? glaties to owas [uttoeqess ab 


‘icailiime? aulbascseiaen doin Be t S 
we ta : ; 
th, 


. tieg a! Ivos «2 to v10 ett bra wok tasoq * leoqqa | 
(20! dagoiwss xeoid tet? #62 ies baa sotigues te teks 
. iat 
ol ' Van 6% wrOot of39 29 .avel of sesedie + otia 
a a eOL5NL O8©F tOtT@al ef? Yo baa »vlor8ed 
wai i i ah 4 fot boe ,¥eaee et? 26 ateoney off . 
: ; oe 
SAL 4@f 39 emld ef? O88. satianlped avi ng at iow 


ih a 


‘eo i 72 Ge tOF f osogtae taoketq 19 mort <0% 


~i e003 Wetotdag ae eval gat to degeen oh? dade? orate 


Heo Ateoetdipte Seteled « saw sank sated Diaz el’ 32 


a 


-Gogitiavisset tagloliztge dtiw hetdeeos ba ton hae ee 


tecit a + oF. 92 eeogitsq elt sew Ft es 127 oa wi. etn e 
2 
jen swede Wttew Veomiad at sow of aldd ak rommeanead 
olfot ety at bicso®. od you eset eas 
-C.% bas gayte 4.8 od ber Loe “,yaeem 1 


4 due aotioubowtul Laobeles bas. inoias ses 


pa 


(eredted to sand hie wma) 
-seclaW cpe8 ya © eaee: 
oh i@W ol otmed to Giette 


best,--the Leigh Hunt element-- in his essays, was the charity that 
delights in the humanity of others. All his observations, whether 
on books, On men and women, or on nature, are the outpourings of 
his personality, the leanings and strength of his humanity. Very 
little of what his pen has portrayed is not touched with affection, 
| with sympathy and understanding. Is it asked, "What of Lord Byron? 
| BVven what he said of Lord Byron is not without a background of gen- 
erous impulse. There is matter for a kind of impatient amusement 
jin all that has been written concerning Hunt’s criticism of Byron.2 
| One wonders sometimes, how critics who praise Hunt for having the 
| courage to say of Byron what he alone could say, and in the next 
| breath blame him for saying what he said, reconcile their own at- 
| titude toward Hunt, or rather toward their own irreconcilable at- 
titude. And this sort of straddle-aspect criticism is not infre- 
quent among tnose who try to place Hunt. Pity it is, but amusing, 
If Hunt could only have given to his writings a chameleon quality, 
| enabling them to reflect the color of the critics, he would not be 
praised for his honesty of intellectual opinion and then blamed be- 
cause that honest intellectual opinion wasn’t the intellectual o- 
pinion of the critic. But of Lord Byron, and Hunt's opinion of him: 


Hear what Mr. Hunt nas to say about it himself. 


"If any man, after reading the whole of my book, be cavable 


1. The following sources may be consulted: 


"Morning Chronicle," January, 1828; "Examiner," 1828, p. 57. 
"New Monthly Magazine," for 1828, p. 84. 

"The Athenaeum," 1828. pp. 55, 70, 71. 

"Tne Tatler,” vol. 2., 1851, p. 441-2. 

And see also “Leigh Hunt's Relations with Byron, Shelley and 
Keats," by Miller, and the numerous references in the foot- 
notes of the same vol. on pages 116, 117, 118, 119, and 120. 


oy gion emia oan boa 
| ant segey mo hon 


+ 


aOR Re b aa 4 


4 o* 
. _ P 
‘ t ret iaw eee. 
‘ 
2 ee »~& are 
- . 
: wv, “ 
Ot * = ay 
® 
, a Tin 4 ¥ ol 
r< : 4: ib 
‘ ‘ ‘ 4 ’ 
4 1 ro : ' 
i 
i 
‘ gq ¢7 vid bow oe 
- ‘ ° a” 
4 i Yang 
shasten . 


0 i bee re Ke qivtag vd “wn 


ad oy 


} eLia Py, now 

‘ 

: nog Go Yer 
; BS »Ytovael * a'ocdnat aie 

. + a z ’ ” eciscaek ye Lite, * iy 

1 6 .g@ wate ¢ by mn we was fh) 
— ¢ pear e rm a 
PY vA . = | , 


on 
’ 


‘Jae a) 


4 ff s 
aii: ag 


29 


of thinking that I have uttered a single thing which I do n@ not 


believe to be true, or that in what I have uttered I was prompted 


by any impulse incapable of a generous construction, he is speak- 


ing out of his own instinctive meanness, and his own conscious want} 


of veracity; and I return him any epithets he may be inclined to 


bestow upon me, as equally unfit for me to receive, and himself to 
part with. If anyone can convince me of an error, -- I am not in 
love with error, but with truth -- I will gladly rectify it. ... 
Finally, if any one asks me what it is that supports me under the 
trying circumstances, in which I have to work out (as becomes me) 
the remainder of my days, I answer, that it is my belief in the 
natural goodness and capability of mankind, and the testimonials 
borne to my endeavors in consequence by the love of those who know 
me most intimately, and the esteem and good will of those who pub- 


1 To this extract from his own defense may 


licly agree with me." 
be added a comment by R. B. Johnson” to the effect that "Candid re- 
viewers at once admitted that he (Hunt) had given °a far clearer 
and more consistent view of the character of Lord Byron than any 
other writer,’ but they seemed to feel that ‘these revelations' 
would have come with better grace from any other hand. This is 
undeniably true, but it should be remembered, on the contrary, that| 
had "Lord Byron and His Contemporaries" never been written we shouls 
have lost, what some of at least would have been very unwilling 

to spare, a most intimate and life-like contemporary impression of 
the author of "Don Juan"; and a number of charges against Leigh 


Hunt would have remained unanswered, and, perhaps, unanswerable, 


1. Leigh Hunt, "Preface to Second Edition.” 
2. Re. B. Johnson, “Leigh Hunt," p. 49, 50. 


es 
jon ma of ‘oidw noldd divnia = boveseu evad L yout 
pergmoeiqg eae { Sexervto evet 1 tate &f sans a6 ,ont? od. 
ieeace 2 i ,solfosntenos e¥oterey a to eldsqgacal 
Sew *Holoscos awe ela bas ,e@endeem evisoaiven: awa ea 


‘ o¢ Yam Of stessigg yor ald anetes § 


tiesmid bus ,etleoet oF em to% jitaw yilaope 


Wn eer 4, ie 


- 
‘ ‘ L -=— ,totte s# 20 6@ eophvase aap 6 


oti yttices whhals {fies -+,daut2 dtiw gud , 


ef! rebs4 om ot4oqgqite test ot 02 dade Oe alee eee 
om semnoed aa) too diew of evad I dolgw of < 
ei s tellied em ol #! tad? ,tewane I teh te 


saigomisaesy of2 baa ,dnidneg to Uiilldeqss baa 
wons off e20cd? to esol edd? ed eoneupersog af: éxas 
-Saq odW esotd to fLhlw Seog bea a96f am odd ban ,4t 4 
{em *ecoted awo sia mor? sents xe vise or eT 
-61 Slbaso" ad? doarke ed? of “no ante & P dé ¢osiinple 
tetae.o tat #2’ cevin bad (dau) eof saue vetsinbie 


Uce asdit nowyt beok Yo tevoetade ede to welv sted a 


ra 


"usohtalover eeoms' ged? Inet of pamesd yono ‘a 
eit? dees seddo uae got bbene ves oad Ad dw | 
erentdes ed? go bored memes od biveda wt au 
‘pe ow wmetthay aeed corti Te olE Site 
aulithwen yiev need evad oenom seael 24 20 emo j 
ro base v7 Yits 10 qHhes ne8. dtttaord bud otenteas 
ile ‘oa. ees SeDntaAdO TO ~edwon 4 bos athe aoa" 9 
-OLvasevenaac ,aqeiteq bas Devewenaae 


oo 


‘sienna Snee of 
O28 Did a ‘* 


30° 


No one else was both able and willing to conduct his defense, and 
he was thus driven to act in his own counsel. ... and there is no 
reason to regret any part of the affair but the heated and persist- 
ent abuse with which one of the most tolerant ana humane men has 


been loaded on account of it," 


But to return to the writings of Mr. Hunt which are not only 
truthful, but pleasing as well. "The Animosities are mortal, but 


the Humanities live for ever. 


And so the pathos, and humor, and 
wit of Leigh Hunt will live when all topics of temporary irrita- 


tion have expired. 


Leigh Hunt was the prince of anthology makers, not the bring- 
er-together of "golden" treasuries, nor of golden treasures such 
as "Hail, to thee blithe spirit," "Had we never loved sae blind- 
ly,” "fhe world is too much with us," "Sunset and evening star," 
or "Helen, thy beauty is to me"; this too he could certainly do, 
and did do; but more truly, he was the gleaner of the unforgettabl 
treasures in existence itself. As we read through his pages much 
we find that is common, but all taken together there seem to have 
been comparatively few pages in his book of life whereon he has not 
left print or record of the life he lived, the beauty he saw, the 
joy he felt, the hope, the regret, the love he sheltered or con- 
fessed. Most fittingly, most entertainingly, most ungeairdedly he 
has told us how the faint winds of thought and fancy have blown ov- 


er his experiences until they yielded him Aeolian music. 


1. Christopher North, in a full and complete apology to Hunt in 
"Blackwood'’s" for August, 1834, p. 273, for that magazine’s 
Slanderous articles against Hunt and the friends of Hunt. 


> 12 ti 


at 


4 
0 


ert way 


ivan bona 


’ wv 


4] ae 
OV aes ih 


| ro Od 
J-hoae Thor Den 
. 7 


omme 


it oye & 
; ; eu “Wa 


n 


31 


Leigh Hunt did not wander far for his subjects. The "ghoul- 
haunted woodland of weir” was not for him; neither did he lose 
himself in “faerie lands forlorn." The realms he wandered in were 
close at hand, the observations he made were about familiar things: 
he wrote of home and fireside, of town and country, of weather and 
the seasons, of theaters and clubs, of dumb animals and flowers, 
of dress and social amenities, of books and writers of books, of 
characters and kings, of tales in fiction and romances ,of real 
life. But whatever subject he touched, whatever phase of it he 
chose to look upon, was treated with intellectual honesty. What- 
ever he wrote had upon it the characteristic stamp of his own per- 
sonality, the ear-mark of his own intellectual reaction. He pass- 
ged nothing off as his own that was not of his coinage. Mr. Hunt 
must have been a veritable encyclopedia of information, and with 
it all a tireless investigator; for much of what he wrote was mat- 
ter that required immense labor and painstaking care to present 


properly and honestly. We are told that Mr. Hunt was not a rapid 


writer; yet we know that he verified all his statements of tact,! 


Says Thornton Hunt: "His constant industry has been mentioned: he 
could work from early morning till late into midnight, every day, 
for months together. ... For the greater part even his recreation 
was auxiliary to work. He had ... heaps of information at his fing 


er’'s ends; yet he habitually verified even what he knew already, 


though it should be only for some parenthetical use." 


1. One wonders how he ever got the facts for such books, for ex- 
ample, as "The Town," and "The Old Court Suburb.” To the present 
day there is nothing better nor more readable on Old London than} 
"The Town," | 


Thornton Hunt in the "Introduction" to the "Autobiography." One 
of the finest tributes by a son to a father yet in print. 


féodu" on’ -o7oelcoe cif to) =et sebaaw Jog BPh See 
euct Sib T6hlion min 10% Jon Sew *atew to feae 


etewW oi Sberebstar od saleex of? * .270170% aigald olteat* 


a 
senoins teliiets? teods etew. phem od stoliavacada ef2. 


“ig “Giveew to ,YI2se0e bee sees to ,whleetifubeee 
-erewolt bra eMwiee dagb to adele tae s198tsode 
eBRGCOC Te eaetevicqw Baa atood to esoltst a < 


> 427 ar 
40% togsencemot bae agoltels at aelat to , 2. 


| 


u 
; & oy 


en Ji TO Geeeg tevev sade -bedosed ed ivobdre 


$a —“sseudd Llawtcelflegal Asie beitauns oaw ‘ 


bs ae: 7 e 


-a5q cW0 Gis to qasts olfebsezoatado ef¥ of aoge. | 
dsaqc Sb .molticaeet lauvtoul£eial ave etd to: 2 
don0 .5N 8 .operntos ele ko fon sam Pha? nwo aha 
gai hid .,Hol?amotal Jo etboqalegons oldetigey, 

tam fe" 7O7" af Sache 26 comm. set : red spleen: 
Jnesetq Of oxeo gnidsieniag > bake 106m s oanonmt, in 

biges # Tou sew dont 28 sade ble? ore ow Mle . 

708) To efnomedade. wia [la belitiaey ef deds. one 

:beacivaen goed. sad. r¥d eudel tcatenon ean” Ao 
yeh yteve ,tinlabia een tel {fi7 gaieaom ylang | 

Holseexger elf cove Shaq. t0¢eorg edd H0T) oa0) 58 109 


etit eid Je solsamrotal Yo eqaed «ew bod of +AOW OF 


* 


wbaetis. *ec% 04 tadw ageve Lebiisev gllagdiias on 


"008 d@oltedtnerag sn0e tot vino oo Bly 


axe 0% + hood A508 162 6tont, ons. 20g <0ty od: 
Leaery off of “.dewd@® sewed B16 oft” Bae @ rt 
fadd sebsod b16 no edgier ied toc bet ah “ 


of) ".Ydeuago [dadear: ote ot dani 
-tal4¥e al fey teddted a of soe ll 


7 ve i pane attra sal nad Atha pa 


32 


Another characteristic that stands clearly back of all that 
Mr. Hunt wrote is his moral honesty. With him this was akin to re- 
ligion,. In his writings we find perfect truthfulness, alike of 
heart and intellect. --= an integrity which led him to sacrifice 
much, to invite misunderstanding, criticism and abuse. Moral hon- 
esty was so much a part of Leigh Hunt, that any account of his writ 
ings which omits it is incomplete. Perhaps the "Religion of the 
Heart" represents more fully than any other single volume the re- 
ligious side of an essentially pious nature. It is a manual of as- 
piration, faith, and duty conceived in the spirit of natural piety. 
"And if anybody ask," he says in the Preface, "whether in other re- 
spects I practise what I preach, I answer, that I profess but to 
be a disciple in my own school; that some of its injunctions are 


harder to me than they will be to many; and that I pray daily for 


strength not to disgrace them." * Kindly emotions and a pure mor- 


ality, a true sense of the beneficence of God and of the beauty of 
creation, a heightening sensibility that shuns all contact with 
theology, and shrinks only with too much dread from the hard dogmas 
of the pulpit, make up the substance of the book, of which the 
style throughout is exquisitely gentle and refined. We quote to 
illustrate at once Hunt's firmest conviction, and the very spring 
of his literary method: 

"As a family bound together in love and duty, even such are 
we incited to hope, that all mankind may become,.... In this hope 
let us live, and let us rejoice, interchanging our comforts, di- 


viding our burdens, and in every way striving to show ourselves 


1. How do the critics justify their criticisms of Hunt in the face 
of such self-criticism? There is much of this in his works. 


f 
4 


i i 


Shae Sly 
Fie iis 


di w i fy Pr 


rea 
_ w xy, =" 


wid: | he au aawh 


te ag 


| ie A aa 
. ow <a TS ule 
3! i; xt rs hawt 


a. 


33 


worthy of the heaven to which we Look}? eee We must earn our pleas- 


ures as much as possible through the medium of others, sharing with 


them our enjoyments yale 


Leigh Hunt insisted that it is man's duty to exercise all the 
faculties, with which he has been gifted, in a sane healthy way. This 
he believed was the main earthly object of all social endeavor.” 
This purpose of making men happy, and advocating that they make. 
themselves happy, is at the root of Mr. Hunt's writings. Every- 
woied he presses beauty into the service of man. For him it has a 
place in the universe only because it contributes to man's happi- 
ness. And men and women in a world replete with beauty, should be 


good men and good women. That was the business of beauty: to make 


man happy, to give him pleasure, 


Leigh Hunt leads us into Edens of literature; he takes us to 
orchards of unplucked fruit; he tempts us with apples Ae knowledge, 
| and with a deftness all his own keeps from us the forbidden fruit. 
His choicest essays give us a sense of golden summer afternoons, 
beauties on the borderland of dreams, romance in Gothic archways 
and old tottering houses with coats of arms upon them. And over 
them all is the spirit of his sensuous nature, his tropical temper- 
ament, his Italianized imagination, a sweet, clean, pure sense of 
the abidingness of "deeds of daring rectitude,” of the moral duty 


| to “urge man's search to vaster issues." Let Hunt himself bring 


| the chapter to a close with part of a sentence from his Preface to 


"Religion of the Heart." p. 21. 


"Religion of the Heart." p. 3l. 
"Religion of the Heart." p. 18. 


! 6B 


, iN 
BAO Cc Fart fine Fg 27 ¢ "i “ee tywot oa Soldw oF ce veod one 
sy geisade ,wtedite to euliem edgy Agwotd? aldigedg ae 


* es ate 


aud {fe rlomweee OF ¥oub aso ef a) teddy bedelent 
a’ .yaw (aslson dies « mt Bettie owed sad od doldy dd 
3 sobue laléos Ihe te Toatdo tiisias bf 
lam Yese ted yoliacovBs bad .vaqedt aon gals 
-Ktevs | .cyaisiuw s'vaun ot te deee wae to al, : 

@ tei Yi wid wt |.e0n Yo eolvies end oat eta 
-feqet a'wanw of eotud bsgeueo * conaceg-eidte a 
ef Divode ,¢iuwed Asiv ot¢eles Bls0w Phe plore 
stan 02 v9 cued 10 geeonicad ett eee tad? aaa nal 


orWesele Gua | 


sh peta’ of j;etutarvesl! to digtte idia ak 
pephelwoud to solqqe dtiw ov sigmeds ad se dend pi 
lust mebbiduo® ed? ef mort scons awo gid tia a 
;2000Kte7 tn tee@nve gseblon t6 #e00n iad ovis 
agewiore gindgog of eoaamod-, samodh Ye bualiokaed 
tevo ha -“et? moge# anita ro avado Stiw eeerod | at 
-teqme!t imeleod?) els ,oretsas evonsnoet Zid to ae 
‘Ye sawes eteq ,caolo ,i008a a To bsacdgaae bouts | 
(ted Lesow off MW. “yebetléoes gatreb to abemb* to } 
yeiadd tieeatd oop ted *.aeneel sedeey of Aotegn 


od BOetete eid wos? ooneteien a2 to 18q itiw eeole # of 4 


34 


"Men, Women and Books": ... "if there is anything which consoles 
him for those short-comings either in life or writings, which most 
men of any decent powers of reflection are bound to discover in 
themselves as they grow old, and of which he has acquired an abund-| 
ent perception, it is the consciousness, not merely of having been 
consistent in opinion (which might have been bigotry), or of hav- 
ing lived to see his political opinions triumph (which was good 
luck), or even of having outlived misconstruction and enmity (tho 
| the good will of generous enemies is inexpressibly dear to him), 
but of having done his best to recommend that belief in good, that 
| cheerfulness in endeavor, that discernment of universal beauty, 
that brotherly consideration for mistake and circumstance, and that/| 


| repose on the happy destiny of the whole human race, which appear 


| to him not only the healthiest and most animating principles of ac+. 


| tion, but the only true religious homage to Him that made us all." 


egfoscos dcldw gaidiqnuea of oxote T1* ... seMetood bad & 
tsom dAciow ,egalitlvw ro etil al westio agadinocesidaods oe 


af yevooeld of buyoc ets solteeltet to stewog Fneoeb 


, 
7 


é 
~hewcn ce botiopos aes of totdw to bas ,bf0 woug yeas Pi 


eee gaiveh Yo (letes to0 ,daesmeuolosaoco edt af 22 eee 
SOag 


“ven to to ,(Uxtesis mood eved thala Aoleen Fa tqo mh 


A, 


Pam am 
. 


boom saw doldw) dqawlat afolatqe faoldifog sid ® 


ony) Ylimae ne aolsoutdunooelm Bbeyilsuo acivad Yo | ‘ 
if 5 re ae 
, (wid of teok ylciesesqxent a selness \a0%see Tam 


acd ,boog al teiled sadd Booamooet of teed aba 


eUtesod [seseviae to suematoontb sada tovesbae | : 
"by, a rs ie 


Paty, OAS ,eoketamsotls bas edataim tot soliasebiag 


iy ly 


) 280gqe Aolaw ,cont semud elodw od? to yotsaod 
+o# to apigtouizg gaivamias teom bao teeldilecd One 


‘(fe ls Bhan tant wines egenod sudlg! lot’ eoae 


7 thse : 
jj (g pe 
| UO Se 
i , _ i Ae 
— Se ere alr Ate lonh ines iier ener ot * ; 
- 1 Pot er ee en — - a) a ——w _—_ _ 
t y 7 , i %; 
——) ha oe Le ee , Tae F 


IV 


HOME AND FIRESIDE 


Cold mornings. Days by the fire. The 
Realities of the unreal. Little child- 
ren. "Oh, wilderness were paradise e- 
now." ‘Easer of all woes.” 


The essays that might be grouped under "Home and Fireside," 
are of a kind about which little can be ssid critically. The temp4 
tation is to quote them entire: their quality is like the charm of| 
upland pastures, nestling valleys, streams in flowered woods, oderg 
on April and Octobder days, music on Mad-day festivals, motly mem- 
ories of years that are gone. Brief, most of them; musings worked | 
out in words. Behind them there is no urgent interpretation of 


¢ ls. Hunt broods | 


life beyond the admonition to love? and be kind. 
over a dainty bit of fancy or feeling till he overflows with af- 
fection for it. He dandles a pleasing image on his knee as though 


it were a child, pats it lovingly on the back, and addresses it 


in ali manner of dainty phrases. Read, for example, his chatty 


gossip in the essay entitled "Getting up on Cold Mornings.”° De- 


lightful, all of it, in spite of the shiver we involuntarily ex- 
perience as we read. How very easy it is for Mr. Hunt to excuse 


himself, and thereby also the reader, for lying in bed of a cold 


"The Eleven Commandments." in A Jar of Honey, p. 22. 
"Cruelty to Children." in "The Companion," May 7, 1828. 
"Indicator," January 19, 1820. 


morning when he allows (invites) himself to indulge the fancy 
that Adam was not under the necessity of shaving, and that Eve 
did not have to walk out of her delicious bower upon three inches 
of ice. Quite wittily he puts before the reader the luxuries im- 


agined, and the sophistries indulged by an ingenious lier in bed. 


The wise ones, who counsel that getting up of a cold morn- 
ing is merely a matter of will, do not stand high in Mr. Hunt's 
regard. Those who say that a person,who has been warm all night, 
and finds his system in a state of perferct harmony with the tem- 
perature of his bed, need only take a resolution to rise, and the 
thing is done, are simply mistaken. When Mr. Hunt, lying in bed, 
is suddenly made conscious of the weather by touching stone-cold 
sheets, by seeing his breath roll forth like smoke out of a lone 
cottage chimney, by noticing the frozen windows, and to cap it all 
by hearing the servant announce as he comes in, "It is very cold 
this morning, is it not?" he is deaf to all resolutions to rise, 
and to all little philosophers busy with the affairs of other 
people. How very exactly he pictures for us the humorous situa- 
tion of the lier in bed asking questions of his servant concernd 
ing the temperature of the atmosphere outside the inside of the 
bed. With what wit he makes the servant contrive his questions 
so that his answers must fall in with the wishes of the lier in 
bed. One excuse for not rising after another is hunted up and 


indulged. But finally comes the conviction that he must rise. 


Water for shaving is called for. Another respite while the servan 


is gone for the hot water, during which time it is, of course, "no 


use” to get up. One or two more interruptions, and delicious 


ey eee ot ee Seeman be a a eee 
a te ay ov es 


Bé 


youst et! aplwhn! of tleowgmia (sotival) ewolle ed node 


eva vadi He ,getivede to ey senenes edd? tebau doa sav 


eefeoni setds at woe ot feb ewad® to two dlew of eves) @ 
smi -selcomel eds tebe0ed odd .oroted aiaq os vilseiw ott, 


‘: 


-bec al tell awolaegnt aa xe beglabal eolstaldqos: ont bes 


iM » © 
. 


ieee ; im. 

oa bfoo « to qt gabtdey tad? feasndo odw pacts Seem 
Yi ai Sulit baate toa Of siiiw to sedtam @ 
tev seed esd ofW,soeseg 8 gags yao onw ened? 


“med ' diiw ymomtipd soqetseq to evetse «2 al 02 8S: ond 


* . ont % ‘ 
baa ,eait of nolieloset » atet ylao Seen Lad elt Yo euiie 
‘ ' ea: OTe 
-bed al goiyl ,Jash .18 conv) enedatelm eleaks ote 1 omah! Oh wins 
’ «. pee. |! 
bico-~~iote palsosos YC “edteem at 20 awolosmes SRN Lae a aa 


L 


é 20 i y oO gf *oAome .~eXiil dgfvot Lor ijeoud ahd gaiveoe. 


pid TL GRO OF bas.,Swobaltw seaost edt ag@ioli@on ya “oanide es 


crev al -¢L" ,a2 senoo ocd ee ennwoage Juavees one 


,@ei1t OF asoltugloeet fle of taeb #&) an "For vi aly 
TecJO to etiatts edd Adiw yawd exotegosgeligg efs sRRu +0 
ao 
-—apile 10muh est ap tot senesalq ef yiteaze ¢[t8¥ wor 
1 


‘beteonoe taevtes ald te esolisesp goides bad af 191 one a 
oo7 te eblaal ont obletao esedqacwis ots te er 205 | % 
gcollssevsp ois eviasiaoo steavis— ef9 sodden e6 die + age 
ml geil of3 %o eedehw ond detw gt fer rage. etewena a 
bis co betoud ol sedters senha golel+ tou 40% eanox, | 
.oett tant oh Fede o bootvacs od? semoo ylinal? 8 ad 
gavies et9 oliaw etiqeet xedvomk 146% belied at galves | 


on" ,eetNOo To ,al ¢) emiv deidw gates totem tom 


five minutes almost spoiled by thinking upon the "villainous" cus- | 
tom of shaving. "No wonder," he thinks, " that the Queen of France | 
took part with the rebels against that degenerate King, her husb- 


and, who first affronted her smooth visage with a face like her 


own, And thereupon we are asked to review a whole army of bewisk- | 


ered faces; Emperors, cardinals, artists, authors, poets, kings, 
Philosophers, Persian gentlemen and Turks, all are brought in to 
prove that shaving is a modern invention of the devil's recruit- 
ing officer. "The mechanical man shall get up without any ado at 


all; and so shall the barometer."- 


How very different the mood in "A Day by the Fire." 


Light- 
hearted still, but therewith an underlying tone of seriousness, 

he talks quietly of indoor enjoyments. As the hours of the day 
slip from sunrise to darkness, bringing with them the changing 
cares, so the tone of the essay changes, from light-hearted com- 
ment to reflection, as becomes the "Reflector." This day by the 
fire must begin early: "The morning is clear and cold; time is 
half past seven; scene is a breakfast room." There must be, in 
addition to this, if it so please the reader, a little hoar frost 
on the window, a bird or two coming after the crumbs, and the light 
smoke from the early chimneys. There must ve a fire in the bdreak- 
fast room to which he can apply the poker--“whether needed or not; 
and when the hundred little sparkles fly from the coal dust that 


falls within the bars of the grate, and tne flames themselves 


mount aloft with a deep and fitful sound as of a shaken carpet;" 


l. One must read the entire essay to get its flavor."Indicator"” 
for January 19, 1820. pp. 117-20. 
2. "The Reflector." Vol. II, Art. XX. pp. 400-419. 


ee 


to a ae 
| 


ri 


Here epithets fail him so he has recourse to poetry: 


Then shine the bars, the cakes in smoke aspire, 

A sudden glory bursts from all the fire. 

The conscious wight, rejoicing in the heat, 

Rubs the blithe knees, and toasts th' alternate feet.* 


Evidently, Mr. Hunt has not yet become serious. The cares of the 


worry-~infested day have not found lodgement in the twe mind that 


can imagine the humor of the sitter before the fire, toasting one 
foot, then the other foot, then both at once, then neither while 
he is trying to shield his face from the heat, and wondering how 
a back can be so cold, and a front can be so warm, when both front 
and back, and feet and face, belong to the same toaster. If the 
picture here presented gives us pleasure, we suppose it aT de- 
Spite of the poetry. fr. Hunt will not allow us to forget that 
he has just been apprised of the fact that life is a matter of 
contrasts, and that sometime he may want to be a phlogistic advo- 
cate of a lier in bed of a cold morning. So cold plays its part 
in the scene before us, How tantalizingly, and with what infi- 
nite and exact details, he describes the breakfast and the morn- 
ing fire: Here is a bit of it in his own words: 

oo "if you eat plain bread and butter with your tea, it 

is fit that your moderation should be rewarded with a good 

blaze; and if you indulge in hot rolls or toast, you will 


hardly keep them to their warmth without it, particularly 


*In a footnote Mr. Hunt says that the lines are a "Parody upon a 
part of the well-known description of night, with which Mr. Pope 
has swelled out the passage in Homer, and the faults of which 
are known and have long been appreciated by general readers." 
Query: Is he satirizing Pope? 


glenn einen eect dc en 


surteod Of Gatwooet cad od oe mid tied a2 


‘ 


tiqgha etoms re nekeo ons rr odd catia: 
-etlt edt fe pen ‘etexnd yrole #6) } 

_ teed on st gkbotetes tigi e101 0408) 
*.doet & raaed ta "sd eveact one eas eddie oie a 
rO1pgo oi9 8005508! edioeed vey ton eed. Jaume 
> holm ee of% "ee si Lome pbol baud doa “van ‘eb vi 
ent itadod , etd Y off ono ded vedaitey ota to xomad’ Pore pm 
eliow seddien edt ,#o00 sa sod gedd ytbor 1039, e 
wos gaitebacw hae ,tned exd stot? wee aid biota att 
at syod sedw .araw bs. ed wae saont a baa BLo0 om 
fz % - tot as07 omat. od? o7 geoles , eoat bas soon 
ai tl esaqere ow ,osveselia av natty pednoneng 
2ed2 teu.0t v8 on wo ite ou fiiw IAOk ge unt oog | 
to wejtac @ af etil dad Yoe% enf 30 beglsggae woe 
~ovtba olseltgof{[dg 2 ed 69 4 saw Yeo of omitemoe ress Bee 9 
dtvq e@l agate bfoo 08 | Be tain bie os a to bed ni inte 
-ital tadw s2le baa «<igeiudiogune vor uae er0ted 
yom ef2 hae tea tiners ons eed roaeb on rettagen ae 
rebro8 awo aid ud rt to tid a at eek 
Ji ,aee te0y dite ter tue bas 7eent ately beegicyt a 
boon a io bw hebiewe ‘ed bigone soltorebon oy ts | 


Ifiw Hox -T8a09 10 allow Td ah enivba! 0g bee 
ylxelwottisg cet todd te starew Mose 09 oi 


La 
ie 


& nOgs Yborat" a ote pret ‘edt ere ‘eens 
eqot . 1 deldw Wide .oeighe Yo” wereren b 
doidw io siwet of? baa ; { 
“.evebee: laréaeg vw sacl fotaet a 


200" 


if you read; and then, --if you take in a newspaper,-- what 6 
a delightful change from the wet, raw, dabbing fold of paper, 
when you first touch it, to the dry, crackling, crisp super- 
ficies, which, with a skilful spat of the finger nails at 

its upper end, stands at once in your hand, and looks as if 
it had said, "Come on and read me." Nor is it the look of 
the newspaper only which the fire must render complete:--it 
is the interest of the ladies who may happen to form part of 
your family, -- of your wife in particular, if you have one, 
to avoid the niggling and pinching aspect of cold; it takes 
away the harmony of her features and the graces of her behav- 
iour; while on the other hand there is scarcely a more in- 


teresting sight in the world than that of a neat, delicate, 


goodhumored female, presiding at your breakfast table, with 


hands tapering out of her long sleeves, eyes with a touch o 
of Sir Peter Lely in them, and a face set in a little oval 
frame of muslin tied under the chin, and retaining a certain 


tinge of the pillow without its cloudiness," 


A very comfortable place to remain, this place at the break- 
fast table; but Mr. Hunt must give us a bit of the dinner time. 
And that the joy of the breakfast may not be without its "fly in 
the ointment™ he humorizes about the three evils of a fire at 
dinner. Persons who must sit with their backs to the fire are 
"liable to be scorched, while at the same time they render the 
persons opposite them liable to be frozen, so that the fire be- 
comes uncomfortable to the former, and tantalizing to the latter." 


For all this he has a remedy. It is so obvious a remedy too, 


*" 


Orit off .02 atond ales sete ate tenn” ony 


12062 Yous owls émae etd 1a éftaw: +hedotoos 


yl! ii) 
-toteal edt of ariwtieagaas bse tensor ode on 
-0OF Yhenew w# aeoleed ry wi ef’ whenet & 


ag iWen 8 a! @ls% Gey thn. ,tond Bae ;denn 
bfok gaicdab , War ,2ow ete woe esuedo iota 


ciidoats »%2d ef@.e@ .94 douse Tankt, 


i 


Jeue Sotilde o« Aly rode 


oof bas , baed sweoy cl sono te shaeds 529 tog 


it £L of 20 8.6m Been i a 19 Paki. a, 


‘ole TtoLoet 750m 9@h% ons desis Sino” 


72 OF Segqad yam ontw getbal eit Yo. tee . 
Sq tl ,sefweltveag gt Otliw yoy to ~- eis 


Na 


shioo to doegese galdorig. bata. sot iigte 


G60GT3 off base setniasd t)8ed + vacena 


9O%808 ai estet!d bro ef376 en? a6 e / 
» ) aE 
-7402 a 160 tad) gage biitcw odd wt ttale gala, 


* 
ake 
“ 


ar a ee 


ef 
Faatizerd wey ve as loteong: temas Bn 


= ges 


=), — 
7 ae 


stlw seve ,aaveets wae f sot Lo ¥eo wad 


o 


« it ee 
lvoif # ch ten goats Soe meds. bi tied 7 * 


ecolniste bas .alite oad tebau Sols Nina 
: 4 on 


"“,eaonkbools ah imedete ene ae vide 


eoelg alt? ,abames of evakq efiee wh amdee 


Mid wf 36 CLE A ag avig J owe se a as 


frottiw ed tem tex beatkante ede 20 ok 


tra we ative #o147 ed? onal” ‘heat eal os 


edd teat o« wean a¢ o2. oLials wade 9 
$e 


ae 


“F Ay tay mn ing ey, 


. -- 


hill Gate be 2) | AL ag 


40 


that one wonders why it had not been put to universal use. Why 


not, he thinks, use semi-circular dining tables, with the base 


unoccupied toward the fire-place. Then everybody could face the 


fire. Screens could be placed to keep the fire where it was want- 


ed. How very fine all this would be. Entertaining enough, all 


this chatter, and entertaining was what Mr. Hunt wanted it to be; 


but we like him better in his twilight mood. And if we have a 


feeling that he too liked himself best in it, we will not be far 


wrong. He seems quite at home in it, perfectly at ease. 


How easily he takes us with him in his fancies. We watch 


the glowing coals exhibit the shifting "form of hills, and val- 


leys, and gulfs, of fiery Alps, whose heat is uninhabitable ev- 


en by spirits; or of black precipices, from which sweet faries 


seem about to spring away on sable wings." Here we may plan our 


Utopian schemes and dream of happy certainties which we cannot, 


nor care to prove. Here we may become poet y and on golden wings 


explore a thousand systems and stop not until we have found a 


perfect Paradise, whose fields are young roses and whose air is 


music. Here may be ours the charm that stillness has for a 


world-fretted ear, broken only by the far whispers of a thous- 


and tiny hushings, like fairies in alarm. But this is all Uto« 


pian, so let us out of this wonderland and bring us to “tea and 


coffee,” and to the hours between that and bedtime. Mr. Hunt, 


we think, must have been a genuine firesider, one who when com- 


pany was near woudd not let the fire die down, nor the snuffs 


of his candle run to seed. But how teasingly he pictures the 


possibilities of such action on the part of an unkind host. 


41 


Those who are familiar with the tenderness of Lamb in "Old 
China," with the charm of Smith in "Dream Thorpe,” with the 
fireside and home dreamings of Irving in the "Sketch Book," or 
with the sentiment that borders on sentimentality of Mitchell, in 
"Dream Life", must feel that the definition-defying humorous- 
pathetic, romantic nature of Hunt's writing is at one with what 
they found in life worth expressing. As in theirs, so in Yr. 
Hunt's essays we recall by imagination, not through superstition 
stories of the secret world situate neither in time nor place; 
in them fairies dance and play their midnight pranks; idle fan- 
cies, old memories, far hopes of little lulled abodes come and 
are gone; in them we live again on Christmas Eves, and hold high 
festival with the Unrealized, ere life’s beckoning Future became 
the backward gazing Past. Idle fancies, these, all of them; in- 
comprehensible to minds clogged with every-day earthliness, but 
to the souls ranging in search of their destinies not altogether 
useless. Hunt's philosophy may not be of the profoundest; his 
grasp may not include the destiny of worlds; the deepest, dark- 
est problems of existence may not be sounded by his plummet; but 
we feel that he speaks with the earnestness, and the understand- 


ing of one who has learned that "tears have their delight, as 


well as laughter."* We quote part of a paragraph to illustrate: 


--- “Fancies ... will occupy us too, and steal us away 
from ourselves, when other recollections fail us or grow 
painful,--when friends are found selfish, or better friends 
can but commiserate; or when the world has nothing in it 


"A Jar of Honey from Mount Hybla." p. 


. PA ; o—_ 7 7 
— 
o~ P = i ma! ; 
= - = a 4 al - 
—a = = eae outer etions LL - 
a Li Li Cc / 
* 7 4 wy - F 
i » 
, a if 


‘ 
.° . ‘ 
7 
iz 
: 
; . 
5 
if 
i 
. . d » 
i aa 
: 
, _ 
J : i ; 748 


| .° sea lbeseteme A? tow ona 


» Hols ant <4 panies yo ovens 


ie atiow shapes ont to ae t 


j | wala Daw ss mab ‘ahaa tet a 


7 
; 
. * To 
1 1 
oe . OOS Te 
, ‘ & d az f vis o' 
de, 
i 
« . oe ¥t ’ 
» bes taU ef0 
: 7 ’ 
4 
j / 
: \ 
_ A“ ‘ 
4 
, : : “”* P - 
[wl i } nv0 7a S&S Met 6S 
. 
ob 
: itee0O +24 
f 
. ‘ 
" vu OO. 


bd 
» 
‘] , i ieee 4 * [ 
, 4 t 
c ) t on . - e 
F e007 ig Yoroud Cli‘ ** 
i, , 
: i F : 270 enw + borden 
| * 
| $ oa ' wVort eF O@HeL Hl? 
ih pesos 
f eaw tc ore ces ioumon 
Ps eat 6) 
o 
J . cnafidpctiieglicmeneee 
| { & : — 


LSS sg. amt eyE. $ave mor xy 


‘J 3 
(tes ih 1 , tee i rR A 
‘ 1 wag Oy } 
A 7 Le J nie i" : a se ; 


—= " = 


42 


to compare with what we have missed out of it. They may 
even lead us to higher and more solemnmeditation, till we 
work our way beyond the clinging atmosphere, heavy from 
this earthly sojourn, and look abroad upon the light that 
knows neither blemish nor bound, while our ears are greets 
ed at that egress by the harmony of the skies, and our 
eyes behold the lost and congenial spirits that we have 
loved, hastening to welcome us with their sparkling eyes 


and their curls that are ripe with sunshine." 


It has been said that in reading tr. Hunt we feel as if he 


thought "to bask in the sunshine were his only duty," and ours. 
True enough. So should it be, -~ some of the time. To all of us 
comes a day when the one thing to do is to bask in the sunshine 
That is precisely as Ye. Hunt would have it; it exactly fits in 
with his purpose. Listen while he states it: "Pleasure is the 
business of this Journal: we own it: we love to begin it with 
the words it is like commencing the day (as we are now commenc- 
ing it) with sunshine in the room. Pleasure for all who can 
receive pleasure; consolation and encouragement for the rest." 
His purpose was always to make adversity hopeful, prosperity 
sympathetic; to make every body kinder, happier, richer in the 
pleasures that lie about our feet. The belief in the good and 
beautiful never forsook Hunts; it was medicine to him in sick- 
ness, riches in poverty, and the best part that delighted him 


in health and success. As we read him we find that he is very 


2. "Reflector," II, 418, 419. 
e. "Further Remarks on the Design of the Journal," Preface to 
“Leigh Hunt's London Journal." Reprinted in "The Seer," I, 9 


2 


Ab ee 9 EO AS ee - ees 


ee 


coat: .7i to @9e bowel ovad- ew cenw avin otcga 

rorvedthe nwt or omen how sveaighd e eg bee: 
vv od ,etengeonis osiau tte si? booed yer 
iixifl ede noqe baonda cof baw ,atwo hoe, 


ove ates wo efisw ,ba00d ros deimesd 


~ 


, . i 7 iE 
bese ,dolKke o8% %o yaomtat ons yd A path 


#h 


tad? e¢hehee feleoqnoo bas 30s. ont tl 


<<) 


Se ae 


1ixtere «hens dtiw am watonlew ov “sas 0 


“5 witpdbitabdai diiw oqit ote tude attwo! 


Fe 


=" 


cae 
a 2 
2 SS 


feet ow sacn .§ golbeet cl tens biam 


“4305 yloo ald exes eciduags ene BA 


"AY & i 
| i | 
fw To Iss oT semi? of? TO emoR ~=:',00 23 blwone: 08 « 
eS . 
| oove oi? ah Asad 68 gf. 0b 07 autidd eno and: a 


| rl e¢git yldosaze #2 3392 eved Siseoe foun » td. ag cioatoas 
eds ail tyaaerIc® <2t sedede oc eitdw seisaiz o o°g 


diiw ¢) atged of evel ew 26! e6e ow sfeaxeoe ata 


ee pee. 
4 
: -coeemec Vou *@538 oW BA) whi ea? pith curoswoo ents at 

‘ 


TAO iw Ils ‘to? exneaels ‘800% off ab ontdene 
“rn. Jeon o2 76% toenenatwoones baa notonfomnog: 5 ean 
; ¢titeqeotg  feteqod Yilatevhbe etem OF via! 4 


: eer: 


e¢t oi sesdoks ,tolgdad ,tebald ybod Ro odom he 


F bas S008 oft ab totied ent fat ‘a30 owode. oir all 

; : lis aa 

| etoile al mtd oF setfaiee vay ah 2 00WE Aooare? te am 

et oh 2 ie 

. aid botdgileb ted¢ 208g tasd cit? hae swe xevod: ot eee 
emi? ah A ae, 

. utev gi ef fact Salt ow ate baes ow ah i «@ hoe 

; 8 Fob asl a4 

of anatose ",csrrwot eft Bow vf ods a | 

© ,1l ",tee8 off wi besnlagel ". ieee 50; 

if ie ale pS - 7 : ee Vee 


i - o 


wie le 


43 


gay, very vivacious, very jaunty, and sometimes, more than a lit- 
tle flippant and coxcombical; but he is never a "frothy frivo- 
list" as critics less kind and wise, and far more flippant than 
Hunt, have mischaracterized him. If it were possible to qualify 
him by a single phrase (but it is not),that phrase might be, we 
think, "Barnestness at ease." In proof of this, and also as an 
example of “earnestness at ease”, hear him at the age of fifty, 
in the "Address" of the first number of “Leigh Hunt's London 


Journal." 


e«e"We have been at this work now, off and on, man and 
boy (for we began essay writing while in our teens) for 
upwards of thirty years; and excepting that we would 
fain have done far more, and that experience and suffer- 
ing have long ago restored to us the natural kindliness 
of boyhood, and put an end to a belief in the right or 
utility of severer ways and views of any thing or person, 
we feel the same as we have done throughout; and we have 
the same hope, the same love, the same faith in the beauty 
and goodness of nature and all her prospects, in space 
and in time; we could almost add, if a sprinkle of white 
hairs in our black would allow us, the same youth; for 
whatever may be thought of a consciousness to that effect, 
the feeling is so real, and trouble of no ordinary kind 


has so remarkably spared the elasticity of our spirits, 


OME 
that we often startled to think how old we have become, 


1. Reprinted in the Seer, vol. I, p. 9. The same "Address" is 
also reprinted in R. 8B. Johnson's "The Poems of Leigh Hunt," 
pages 210-219. 


a 


if a2 sadd etom ,semliowoe baa whee ytev CHoloaele, 
-aviat ZUdlort"” #& tered ef of) -J3.g0 : Leoddavokee bea 
tet? gaseqgit) enom. tet baa , eehenhas balv anol onda 
VriLanp of elchsesaqg et)ew.sh. 31 -nid Deahner 7 
ev od saigi mt eafidg Headd, | ton at a oad)s 
ge ap cote ban, wens 1 toon al “.eaee 
-¢7tit to ops odd t@ mid seek Peeee te, 
jobaol. a’ sa0E igtage: to tedmamdenss edd 


base sar ,so bog tte’ ,#ow dacow widé ta 


10% , (oce@ed ty0 a! ofidy yoltiwe _eene | : 


ot. = ™ 
: = — pce ~ 
- i = ms a 
ana ri 
~ i = ae 2 * 


bisew ow 2ad? nsliqeoxe bae patavy qdad 
-i90tkrs bine eonolseqze fadd den , 220m ant 
seoullbOulda fanretes ef) ae 02 boro deer, Ona ° 
‘© @dpia edz ct telied # of Bae aa tig 
,a0ex6q «6 Qabdd yas to ewel¥ Age syew aece 


’ p } na 
oven oW bags ¢tnongvord? ened eved ew as. omee 4 
| : 
iveed od3. 08% Gilet oman od? ,evOL emma, ene 


at - 
soags w2 ,atoeqeatq sed fle hae eGa2as 20) 


esis 26 ohdmiaqge » thy bdo teomis Sivow ow. a 
“9% ;A2eOy emee ent ,en wells bleow adoais Pree 

,?oerte sane o? snetavotosnee ® to tiywegs, eo y | 
baix 4teatbio on Bo eldyou? bas , leet on ona 
»sticsigs au9 ko. ‘Ui loltesle ear boreqa widuxs 


,omoved evad ow bLo-wod satde oF belavaan aeeneya 


a sesh ha" ones eat -& a al -fov”" 1998 | ‘ 
",J008 dyhed: to akeod. eat" «s i pt 


rise os 87 ity gh par > — — a 


44 


compared with the little of age that is in our disposi- 


tion; and we mention this to bespeak the reader's faith 


in what we shall write hereafter, 


if he is not acquaint- 


ed with us already. If he is, he will no more doubt us 


than the children do at the fireside. We have had s0 


much sorrow, and yet are capable of so much joy, and re- 


ceive pleasure from so many familiar objects, that we some- 


times think we should have had an unfair portion of hap- 


piness, if our life had not been one of more than ordi- 


nary trial." 


From gay to grave, from grave to exuberant fancy is not 


difficult of accomplishment for Leigh Hunt. We are constantly 


reminded of this as we turn the pages of the “Indicator.*} In 


the ability to invest with poetry the most trivial common- 


places; in the delicate sensibility with which he feels, and 


teaches his readers also to understand the inner spirit and 


beauty of every object of his contemplation, he was neither 


qualed nor even approached by his predecessors or contempo- 


raries. If indeed the "mission" of the poet be to feel and 


press the beauty of the universe, many of the essays now before 


us are poems in every sense of the word which does not involve 


the idea of metrical rhythm. 


1. Hunt has a characteristically humorous article on the "Diffi- 
culty of Finding a Name for A Work of this Kind" in the first 
number of the "Indicator," dated Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1819. 
Mary Cowden Clarke, in a letter to Robert Balmanno, under date 
of August 3, 1852, says that her mother (Mrs. Vincent Novello), 
named the journal, "By the by," she writes, "did you know that 
my mother was the godmother of the "Indicator"? She suggested 
the name, and Leigh Hunt adopted it, and the passage as a mot- 
to.which she had pointed out as affording ground for a good 


A A Nw nt ei 


Just now we happen upon the essay entitled "Realities of the 
Imagination." a In it he describes how the faculty that solaced 
80 much that was troubled in his own daily life, enriches its hap- 
py possessor in the most literal sense, and creates for him imag- 
es and shapes of beauty. "There is nothing imaginary," he says, 
"in the common acceptation of the word." The logic of Moses in 
the "Vicar of Wakefield," seems good logic for Mr. Hunt. "What- 
ever is, is," says that worthy. And so Hunt. He insists that we 
can judge of things only by their effect. Imagination, Mr. Hunt 
thinks, "adds a precious seeing to the eye;" and if we read his 
essays with imagination they will add a precious understanding to 
the heart. In many of his essays we Bet a sense of the reality 
that dwells in things of the spirit. We are rescued from the bab- | 
ble of common cares and enabled to hear all the affectionate voic- | 
es of earth and heaven. We hear the brooks in the solitudes where | 
they flow; and 
eee “Gentle gales, 

Fanning their oderiferous wings, dispense 

Native perfumes; and whisper whence they stole 

those balmy spoiles."* 
Are these ministrations of nature only imaginary, and therefore 
non-existent, because, forsooth, we experience them only while we 
read? Mr. Hunt would say, "They are very real, more real than 
any material thing, because a material thing can be taken from 


yous; but the possessions of the imagination are yours, and not 


title. (The motto referred to is: "A dram of sweet is worth a 
pound of sour." Spenser). 

1. "Indicator." March 22, 1820. 

2. Milton, "Paradise Lost," Book IV. 


46 


transferable." Let him speak for his faith, 

"The poets are called creators, because their magical words 
bring forth to our eyes the abundant images and beauties of 
creation. They put them there, if the reader pleases; and so 
are literally creators. but whether put there or discovered, 
whether created or invented (for invention means nothing but 
finding out), there they are. If they touch us, they exist as 


much as anything that touches us. If a@ passage in King Lear 


brings a tear to our eges, it is as real as the touch of a sor- | 


rowful hand. If the flow of a song of Anacreon'’s intoxicates 
us, it is as true to a pulse within us as the wine he drank. 
We hear not their sounds with ears, nor see their sight with 
eyes; but we hear and see both so truly, that we are moved 
with pleasure; and the advantage, nay, even the test of hear- 
ing, and seeing at any time, is not in the hearing and seeing, 
but in the ideas we realize, and the pleasures we derive. In- 
tellectual objects, therefore, in as much as they come home to 
us, are as true a part of the population of nature, as visi- 
ble ones; and they are infinitely more abundant. Between the 
tree of a country clown, and the tree of a Milton or a Spenser, | 
what a difference in point of productiveness: Between the 
plodding of a sexton through a church yard, and the walk of a 
Gray, what a difference: What a difference Sateeod the Ber- 
mudas of a ship-builder, and the Bermoothes of Shakespeare: 
the isle 
--. Full of noises 
Sounds, and sweet airs that give delight, and hurt not; 


the isle of elves and fairies, that chased the tides to and 


* 


nx€ 
Ld 
* 
WU 
® | 


@ 


a 


ro 


. 


OT ofl 


Hs 


ripalt 


Aon 


anied 


iutworx 


a a Ya A NA RRNA ea een es et Aan 


47 


fro on the sea shore; ... Such are the discoveries which the 
poets make for us; --worlds, to which that of Columbus was but 


a@ handful of brute matter." 


We have quoted thus at length, because one great injustice, 

| among many others we do to Mr. Hunt's essays by merely describing 

| them, arises from the hopelessness of conveying in the least de- 

| gree any idea of the earnestness, the ease, the graces of style 

| and manner, the natural, spontaneous impulse with which every i- 

dea is touched. We could as easily describe Jenny Lind's sing- 

j ing by saying. that she sang "Annie Laurie.” In this, as in so 

many of his essays, we have the outpourings of a heart beating in 

| sympathy with all suffering, all joy, all aspirations, -- the spon- | 
| taneous reflections of a mind rich in literary knowledge, overflow- | 
| ing with fancy. But nothing short of actual perusal can give an 


| adequate idea of the style and manner of the essay. 


We should like to quote entire the next little essay! that 
falls under our notice. It is just such delicate wisdom as this 
| essay holds that chastens the joys and sorrows with a touch of 
! quiet, unpretending pathos. It is not at all surprising that this 
| grave and tender essay was the favorite of Charles Lamb. We feel 
| a little disposed to ponder and fabricate what Yf. Lamb, whose sor. | 
| row was like no other sorrow in the annals of literature, may have 
thought upon reading the statement in this essay that "the true 
| way is, to let them grapple with the unavoidable sorrow, and try 


to win it into gentleness by a reasonable yielding." We would not 


| 1. "Deaths of Little Children." The Indicator, April 5, 1820. 


48 


uo ted 
| have it understood that the sentence just® from the essay was dear 


| to Mr. Lamb because it gave him a new philosophy; it was dear to 
| him because it strengthened and corroborated the resolution he had 
| made more than twenty years before to "grapple with unavoidable 

| sorrow.” Also it must have appealed to Lamb because it expresses 

| sensitively the deep and abiding love he had for children, --real 
| children, and "dream children." May we not quote a part of a par- 


| agraph for the sake of its heartfelt gravity. 


"We do not mean that everybody must lose one of his child- 
ren, in order to enjoy the rest; or that every individual loss 
afflicts us in the same proportion. We allude to the deaths 
of infants in general. These might be as few as we could rend- 
er them. But if none at all ever took place, we should re- 
gard every little child as &@ man or woman secured; and it will 
easily ve conceived what a world of endearing cares and hopes 
this security would endanger. The very idea of infancy would 
lose its continuity with us. Girls and boys would be future 
men and women, not present children. They would have attain- 
ed their full growth in our imaginations, and might as well 
have been men and women at once. On the other hand, those 
who have lost an infant are never, as it were, without an in- 
fant child. They are the only persons who, in one sense, re- 
tain it always; and they furnish their neighbors with the 
same idea, The other children grow up to manhood and woman- 
hood, and suffer all the changes of mortality. This one alone 
is rendered an immortal child. Death has arrested it with its 
kindly harshness, and blessed it into an eternal image of youth 


and innocense,.” 


5 Tau 
neh caw yaree ant mart, 260} ecwetaée ond tadd Boodet 


Of tech axnw 2t :uncosollde wens a. mid-evag ot eaveoed. 
bed ove tolzwiceset ed? besaiodeig69 bas Socadegsests a a | 
elcsiiovann aziw oLqgasat 03 etoted atesy vison 
seeeeiazoe Yi esuesed énad 08 be laveqgs eved seam 


~~ 
Iget-- ,netblidgo 106? ben ef prot an inhee bas qeeb | 


re 


“169 8 0 ?4aq & ofonp t4n oF ven “ ads iael 


-Utivets sbertuaed at 24, 


-blido eld to ono esel ¢esum yhodyteve sett inne 


ab ES 


c - o> 2 
OE AS TS RR A oD ce -—— _ 
a n = oe. =, € i J i a 
» a 2 a > wa = 7 
* ; ae i 


aE 
ae 


seol Lawbivibai yore ted? 20 s%e04 od? yolue 09: 
sitesh of% Of ebulia eW ~szmottaeqo71g eoancentl 
-boet Bivao ow os wet aa od tiglia deocTt shesoneg 
~6t binowa ew ,ecalq toot teve [le ta enon 2418 
ifiw i bes ;besuvoee semow 70 ron a 38 biido-elavhey 
seqod bus sexes gut aéebue to bitow o tanu Devt 
Sivew youstsi te seblt ¢iev ef? -zogtabne biuow 
etutct of bigew eyoo bee aitlh «weaasiv vi tmaty 
-Sisite even bivow vent ', Goxb ideo a ton oat 
Iflew sa tdale bas , ono Ndeatadel t¥6 ai sawors. th 


— ).. 
eso? ,bakd tedto of3 GO .eom0 #5 aeanow bes Soa @ 


é 
= 


ye 
-uit ae tuodtiw ,etew 3) as ,2even ean sao?ud ae a t 


~6" ,@enee ono al .ouWw anoateq yaao eas orn. cout re 
i bet 4s 
eit diiw esoddgien tied? selatet toate aes He avis. 


a 
-teoow Sas boossan of qe #o7R apabikas xeaso ot at 

- 49 
oaofs emo eid? .¥difetsom to aencado ous fhe 2024 
adhe? il, ee: 

‘) deiw 21 beteouae ext dtaesd +SLide fetrommt 

itsoy 30 egemt Laateje aa oju2 $i basacke tha. ,aee pase 

_! ee aie: Ber" 


v 


49 


In @ manner equally informal, and quite as serious, in spite 
of surface playfulness, he speculates in a kind of first draft up- 


on his view of a future state. He suggests his attitude in the 


title.? For him heaven is not heaven, unless its Elqsian fields 


duplicate, at least remind him of England's green lanes, brown 
dells, breezy skies, and Hampstead's 
eee woods that let mansions through, 

And cottaged vales with pillowy fields beyond, 

And clump of darkening pines, and prospects blue, 

And that clear path through all, where daily meet 

Cool cheeks, and brilliant eyes, and morn-elastic feet.” 
Familiar as all strange things must have been to one of his imagi- 
native insight, "poetry and calamity, surprise and strange sights 
of the imagination," yet he could not reconcile himself to a bé6- 
lief in, nor adjust his habits of life to,a future "Paradise Mount" | 
that did not in most ways correspond to actual paradise mounts in 
any pretty village in England. He pleads for "some snug interlun- 
ar spot" where, three hundred years hence, he may be dining, and 
drinking tea with Shakespeare, and Spenser, and Boccaccio, and Sir 
Walter Scott; and "the Arabian Nights must bear us company.” Yet 
even this stooping off place to a higher heaven mus t be progres- 
sive. "We cannot," he says, "well fancy a celestial ancient Brit- 
ton delighting himself with painting his skin, OF oa Chinese angel 
hobbling a mile up the Milky Way in order to show herself to ad- 


vantage." 


Thougn he does not say so, yet we fancy him, when tired of 


"An Earth Upon Heaven." in The Companion for April 2, 1828. 
2. "To Hampstead." in Examiner, Nov. 12, 1815. 


ry a 


| | iiig Hilw soley cMazsag ona, - 
¥, J sg ha 


+ 


' 
7 4 Miaeatse 
; +* * ¢ 2 a 
5 hf t) ; {i HT x) 
—, 
( 
id . é t ‘ cn 
. ; : 7. ee kOe: HOB 
~ ’ r 
~~ y ’ Vv wal ‘ * i € 
{ 
’ 7 
ry ’ e?7 kay . 


, | ‘ a * P 
: eo4 Ov bSOn Be oo 8 4 
f 
j “hn t f _- j 
\ * * * 244g 7 « ly 
" 
” 
1 ~ 
: | . fi “1.29 > Thi y a uo ; 
4 e 
- Py o é& ac if e >a ’ ¢ 
“4 ; : wba ee & 
a J 
‘ . os 
Loin aves i a G th as” & 
7 
q ' ov : e f tig oF 
i 
q F i 
r P 
: : a. wy on { ooh i na ' i 
aOoO wi &4a0F9 * 2ta oe or , FORM 00 i 
= ; ‘ 
, ‘ 4 ; 4 “4 7 0 | % ~ 
, ‘ » ¢ iz Gir py a a a a M¢) ig a Ww A ha wumt d “sats all ae 
, 
r t > 
‘ < +, 205730 ad vay (ity 
i 
a * 
>» 
] 
| . nie , ae an, 
~ as ~ a4 ow * h 
| A 


” a 207% io ive lap? oat F, " nO rROR. mag 


* * 4 J #) t “ o { = vou. lal x00 " L tae hi ‘a #4. a8 


tired of being light-hearted in company, tired of 


writing poetry, 


conversing with divine friends, we fancy him roaming in Elysian 


fields with Her ("true; oh, so true, that you take her word as you 


would a diamond"); or when tired of roaming, imagine him in some 


Earth-Elysian wilderness confiding to Her that 


"a book of verses underneatha bough 


A jug of wine, a loaf of bread -= and thou 


Beside me singing in the wilderness. 
Oh, wilderness were paradise enow." 


Only that "wine" in Hunt's case would undoudtedly be tea. Flip- 


pant and light-hearted, his attitude toward the Great Adventure 


may seem. And it was a seeming; no more. For life, fundamentally, 


was very serious to him, and Death and the future no less so. He 


was afraid of neither, cried Zail and Farewell with a smile. He 


wanted to let go of life gently, and by degrees; he wanted not to 


be loosed entirely from the earth, nor at once. Barth and its cap- 


abilities, its little accomplishments and its great and unfulfilled| 


aspirations must surely, somewhere closely linked with the place 


of beginnings, come to a more perfect fruition. So Hunt believed. 


"Is there no beautiful realization of the fleeting type that is 


shown us? No body to this shadow? No quenching to this taught and| 


continued thirst? No arrival at these natural homes and resting- 


places, which are so heavenly to our imaginations, even though they} 


be built of clay, and are situate in the fields of our infancy? We 


are becoming graver than we intended; but to return to our prop- 


er style." 


We began this chapter with comments on “Getting up on Cold 


Mornings,” and we think it not amiss to end it with what we may 


Oa 


Ro bestli? ,eesomoe a besroet-tegil guled 10 betta 
haieylS ni nelepert min tone? ow ,ebGels? esivib asiw 
VOY 88 H1OW tec ote? coy tad? , One Ge , Hor yenmers 70h) 
$moen col mis senigani ,aoimeos to Sboerls, Sedw xo a(™ a 
Tait tOF of salbltaoo seendebl 


‘yeo¢ #sinentehae agerey BO 

vodl hue a= basad to teola, | 
seemteb ile ene wl’ aolgnte om 
‘.wone enlbétag otew 2 


‘qiit .88- 20 {lbetevobas bifow peso Perr ar 
etvtuevbA Feerxh end biened ebytidgta eld , bes | 
Viletcomsbas’ ,OTII tof .e4on eer a sete 
ek .n2 seol On sitedut etd bap dé aed +i pala 

of -6iinn @ itle Liewetse nab iia® Belso , t9ast 
Of Jom Deicaw od Seeergeh qd bkb [eldoes Stal Se 
gno 63! bob ddteh .ooto: da toa ,A2tbe ons aoxt nathy 
Beficiivian Sos teera e¢) Baa satan ct otggnt 
ecosigq of% Atiw bexnall wledofe oreiwenoe  ¥le tag 
-Loveiled ¢avf O98 ,anolédtnat 20etteq bom aoe inaig’ 

\ 

el ject oqys palvoelt edd Yo aqiieehiaew abies 
bie Sigkel eiNd OF galdonenp Of fwobsedsé Chat os yhod. 8 
-giltee: bee semod Laretead ovgdd te Ievidce OF ‘gy 
tedd Kgeois seve ,anollanligegs) 180°6), yleoreet o« oad 
oW tyoumtat 206 te ebiolt ed? #1 etausle ete base vast 4 
~qotg 1HO 04 fades o@ ioc. ecm’ om ow sent s0vers a 


| { 


~~ 


bion ao qe grieseO" wo adaonmes. aa iw sod quae eta 
Lely 


yan ow vedw Atiw $2, Bae of sae toa th aanaa | 


51 


find worth saying about the essay on "Sleep." 


This, Mr. Hunt 
tells us*, was Hazlitt's favorite of the "Indicator" essays,"per- 
haps because there is a picture in it of a sleeping despot,” adds 
Mr. Hunt. But Hazlitt insisted “with more enthusiasm than he was 
accustomed to do," that it was the conclusion about the parent and 
the bride that appealed most to him. May either be the reason, or 
neither. We are not concerned in the right answer, nor the wrong. 
For us the essay has the charm of mingled humor and poetic Seana | 
Our laugh is neither loud nor long over Mr. Hunt's description of 
the inopportuneness of uninvited sleep; it is probably nothing more 
than a disturbance of the muscles that communicate amusement; but 
we do feel an inward chuckle, or groan, depending on whether we re-| 
call ourselves as being the observer or the observed. disturbing 
our composure as we read of the discomfiture annoying the compla- 
cency of those who exercise the misunderstood privileges of sleep 
in company. It is not precisely the proper thing, he says, "to es- 
cape into slumber from an argument; or to take it as an affair of 
course, only between you and your biliary duct; or to assent with 
involuntary nods to all that you have just been disputing; much 
less is it well to sit nodding and tottering beside a lady; or 

to be in danger of dropping your head into the fruit plate or your 
| host's face; or of waking a and saying 'Just so’ to the bark of 


| a dog, or ‘Yes, madam,’ to the black at your elbow." 


Perhaps the laugh we indulge in over this and over what he 


Says about clowns and sleeping despots, is not altogether hearty, 


| 1. "Indicator" for January 12, 1820. 
2. "Autobiography," edited by Ingpen, II, 50. 


i i a a 
ae ‘ 
BE .12% . ott -w »oLg” wo yaake BAY Jaode gniyas: aten 
og". eyasao “Totes lbad bats Yo etiaovet w'stifeal gam 4 
i shbe “.¢oaebb nal ' & to Ti al wruteolq se el sxusat @ 
| sed : afiw" Sevatenl selieskh gee , 
ea g oda Lewlomoe eX? saw 3 Yaad 7,66 1 
| r } tio yaw min oF 700m beolneqqe “i? 
7 t¢ trimia edd al Pets onknd aaa ae on 
ot, i dbolfaalm to mrato wa? aes ial 
| ee oms IN 29vo gaot ton pool sodtien! Gh | 
le : e yldadeon ] jaedlio betivelag 10, eeenemuy nog 
t ri ere eJabintgs 6 Jac telodvm oAy Fo: comnetesed 
f a : a F 
66 : w wo naolboens +6015 10 , elddeio baawal oe Pe 
i rieuco O17 So TeVIeRtS ets acted oa aanee 
a iS Bacyorna oti itnooelth end to baét ow on one 
: spollvi-s: bootexebusets aa etviotexe ofW & 
- (S886 O08 ,Gghlad T8807: ona viealooete Jou a1 mk 
> aiatr® (8 ea ot! eas of 10 s,J0emWRIR te MOdVt s8edeee 
foiw 8 of +0 :Joeb eratite 190% base soy coowlead ¥ 
me ¢ sib coed teal avad soy dane ife ov ebow 
rEoes # aGeisec galtetted faa galbbos din oF flow oe 
ts to @efalq tienwt oA ova) baed Sway¥ gulagorb to % 
‘ a a3 of ‘ow fenv}' gaiqes bea qe vaoidaw to 1% 
".wodle twoy ta adosld ods oe? ———— + 
ef sede aero bin #ha¢ seve at oytubad ew save rr send 
‘UitseK sedzoqotls roe ope walqoels bie ato ko 
ager! ee any or 0 8 
208 433 ites « abel! ", Yageagc 
a 
on eda ee 


52 


not quite objective; perhaps it has a painful personal note in it, 


an element of uncomfortable memories, and comes with a blush, and 
a bit shamefaced; for we may realize, to our secret selves, tnat 
others besides clowns and despots may be unlovely in sleep. The 
knitter up of raveled care may be beautiful in figures of speech, 
but in figures of flesh and blood not precisely enchanting. In our 
Waking moments we may be good to look upon, We may be proud in 
our walk, dainty in the way we eat; we may wear our evening at- 
tire with the air of infinite superiority; in aword, we may show 
ourselves grand even in trifling things. But asleep, we are the 
manikins of a petrifying tyrant. Sleep is no respecter of persons. 
He arrests us in the most rediculous postures; no limb-twisting 
Charlie Chaplin could rival them. “Imagine a despot lifted up to 
the gaze of his valets, with his eyes shut, his mouth open, his 
left hand under his right ear, his other twisted and hanging help- 
lessly before him like an idiot’s, one knee lifted up, and the 
other leg stretched out, or both knees huddled up together; what 


@ scarecrow to lodge majestic vower in:" 


But if Sleep is unkind, so is he kindly too. And it is as 


kindly that the poets have most frequently treated him. The authors | 


to whom Mr. Hunt refers us are many, and of the best, Ovid, Spen- 
ser, Chaucer, Sophocles, and Beaumont and Fletcher are called up- 
on in praise of sleep. As one of his favorite passages on sleep he 


quotes from Beaumont and Fletcher's "Valentinian," 


"Care-charming Sleep, thou easer of all woes, 


Brother to Death, sweetly thyself dispose 


On this afflicted prince. Fall like a cloud 


azvecouo 
* & 
WV ee €@a 4 


- 
vw 
~ 

” 


Rl aw Ti 


; VARI | 
ow Ov 

eH » 68 
iq Of &e@ 


s%, Re7TOuUp 


on . Sn 
beoi el ¢edt gattidom oviy 7 enewods otenes “nm 
-Jduil ,qese vatecmele ald of “lotateg 
JAgiW te see iguond sMeerisa yaoliveog a es 
clag ale pele sseedes, beldgors td ee 
olen tovibe t ,balw galxuniee ihe dk 


;oblile yfideg we stitaoy Coteice 


“,eblad a oxi st: sorodmete dtut peatha 


‘duoboece j;duetal se ot {erecete aeom al® . 


wage ci oF ,Jutielqnoo sate sogy adolmh Beesee 
diiw boloced helm oct of ,endotew seda—jpegetey 
siqe* es tant? stoetaq ody st -ts tool oo gatas 


* betobe *shFed etd at et Gabwo td ‘shilas {otya q 


CRITIC AND CENSOR-~GENERAL 


Ostentatious impartiality. “Puffing and pun- 
ning." A moral Quixote. Rules to violate. 
Praise to the praiseworthy. Self-appraisal. 


Leigh Hunt's earliest critical writings on matters theatri- 
cal were articles contributed to a little paper called the "News," 


set up in 1805 by his brother John. "+ 


Extracts from these con- 
tributions subsequently formed a fifty-eight page appendix to an 


original volume on the same subject, entitled, "Critical Essays 


on the Performers of the London Theatres." These considerations 
of the actor's art constituted an innovation in dramatic criti- 
cism and created a new field for the familiar essay. fTney orought | 
Leigh Hunt into the public eye by their unprecidented independence 
of opinion and impartiality. Evidently he was resolved to pull 
the stage out of the vitiated state into which it had gone, for 
he tells us that "he is resolved, that if the somniferous drama- 
tists will suffer him to keep his eyes open and hold his pen, and 
while he is honored with the public attention, 

MV Atte ce eben aes ae ale Guid dramatic knave 

Shall walk the stage in quiet to his grave. 


But this only if there is nothing to praise. 


1. That is, John printed and apparently edited it for the pro- 
prietors. In the "Autobiography" Leigh states that he knew so 
little of the proprietors that he could not with certainty rec- 
Ollect any one of them. 


It must not be supposed that there were no "professional" 


critics when Leigh Hunt was tickling the public by pinching the 


players. Then as now, there were "gentlemen" who did the theatres 


and gave what the public took for criticism, but which was in re- 


ality "a draft upon the box office, or a reminiscence of last Thurs} 


day's salmon and lobster sauce." Not only that, but it was cus- 


tomary for editors, who were also the proprietors of papers,to be 


intimate with actors and dramatists; and under such circumstances 


it was inevitable that critics, actors, and play“rights should 


tickle one another with the feathers they stuck in one another's 


hats. Puffing and giving of tickets, interchange of amenities, and| 


flattery of power on one side and puns on the other, were the order 


of the day. 


Into this well-oiled critical machinery that produced, for 


the price of a ticket or a lobster supper, an"“excellent”" Mr. Ban- 


nister, a "Charming" Mrs. Jordan, a "crowded house," and a@ stage 


upon which "the whole went off with éclat," Mr. Hunt came with 


the twenty-three year old zeal of a Sir Galahad, ready to carve 


the masks of men, "guided by nothing but a regard for truth, for 


the real pleasure of the town, and for the literary reputation of 


Englishmen.” His comments were undoubtedly juvenile,("Good God! 


to think of the grand opinion I had of myself in those days.")° 


and a little conceited; but they were entirely honest, and sincere 


and in most cases just, for which reasons they had a wholesome ef- 


1. “Autobiography", edited by his son,’ 1860, p. 138. 

2. "Critical Essays of the Performers of the London Theatres,” in 
the Appendix, page 16. 

"Autobiography," ed. by his son, 1860, p. 139. 


ee Rn nN 


56 


fect upon contemporary periodical dramatic criticism. Mr. William 
Archer believes that Leigh Hunt may "oelreckoned the first English 
bveddiite critic... He was actually the first critical journalist 
who succeeded in emerging from the mists of anonymity. Probably he} 


was the first who deserved to emerge." 


In his dramatic criticisms, as in all his other writings, he 
was a kind of moral Quixote. He may, at times, have been too much 
of a "grail" hunter, but in all his hunting he was characteristic- 
ally sincere, independent, and vivacious. We see his sincerity and 
independence in his resolution to be entirely free from obligations|| 
of whatever kind. He kept himself rigidly aloof from everything 
with which censorship was likely to be corrupted. "To know an act- | 
or personally,” ne says, “appeared to me a vice not to belthought of} 
and I would as lief have taken poison as accepted a ticket from | 
the theatres." The vivacity of his criticism may be illustrated 

by the following set of satiric rules he drew up for the critics 

of the day; the theatrical critic of a newspaper is admonished by 


"you will of course make use of the first column:" 


"A crowded house------ a theatre on the night of a performance, 

when all the back seats and upper boxes are 
emoty. 

"An amusing author----an author whose very seriousness makes us 
laugh in spite of himself, 

"A successful author--an author who has been damned only four times 
out of five. 

"A good author-------- the general term for an autnor who gives 


good dinners. 


Ae 


10f70a Ah--~toadu 


aid al won pbateg 


| om 
i} 
a fc 
. ‘ 72. re 
evonh tell 
-9a\ ont 
2&6 F 
tT!) &OX 
Tag 
' - 
ii ¢ j 
° “uv 


e 
on 
ty a We a 


siesta 


57 


"A respectable actor--an insipid actor; one who in general is 
neither hissed nor applauded. 
"A fine actor--------- one who makes a great noise; a tatterdema ~ 
lion of passions; a clap-trapper: one intend-| 
ed by nature for a town-crier. This anneida:| 
tion may at all times be given to Mr. Pope, 
who has the finest lungs of any man on the 
stage. 
"A good actor--------- the general term for an actor who gives good 
dinner. 
"A charming play------a play full of dancing, music, and scenery; 
a play in which the less the author has to 
do, the better. 
"Great applause------- applause mixed with the hisses of the gallery 
and pit. 
"Unbounded and universal applause--applause mixed with the hisses 
of the pit only. This phrase is frequently 
to be found at the bottom of the play-house 
bills in declaring the reception a new piece | 
has met with. The play as announced in thesel 
bills is generally printed in red-ink, an 
emblem, no doubt, of the modesty with which 


they speak of themselves." 


This and other strictures of a like nature undoubtedlgive evidence | 
of over self-confidence, but they also give evidence of unselfish 


honesty and sincerity, courageous enough to attack popular play- 


1. "Critical Essays, etc." Appendix, page 19. 


ress! 2 Soe ET 


geil 


«va 


feupe st al saaidg ali 


ow agiw ysaebhom en? to stdwoh on , meldue 


ive evig/berdpobar suetian exit a to Henwtolrse Tons 


Ss ia ee i A en rate p mane A See | 


¥2 


fatedes ni ¢dw eno 40900 Bigtent Se—nt6208 oidate 


brelJat go seaeton teats «2 seam ode O10 wan mn OED, 


sinqgnit-qalo 4  ;poeleseq 30 sol 


: cf .telteo-avod 6 GO) eaadan ve Be 
J : oc semis Ila ta tem note 

balan <a. 
ae s 1 sacol jaerl? ed? sed odw 
<enals 


ceVig OAW 0798 ce sot mued fatenen SE t sno ee 


a 


-tocsipb |. 
‘ aa > ae 

e08 ; ~oleem .gnionab to List Yala an-omeveQehg 

a8 t04J08 on2 seel of? dolaiw al yale «a 


etetved off ,Ob 


i3 t0 sesals ed? dilw Sexim vevalqys--+---s8nme 


~tiq bas 
et? dtiw boxim eapalqqa--soenalqge Lassevian Bol 
?  e¥fao tig of9 Bo 
heYVSiliqg @oT 6 mojgzodg ecAd Ia See? od ud 
iLigexse1 ed? actadtess oi olLiig 


cl bev ke o@ yetq edt .tilw vom san 


etl -bau ab betuiyq yllaxreneg ah elite 


+« eovieemed? 10 taeqs yore 


ees 


feans to esaeblve ovis oels vod ‘as 1 Soneb 1 tH9e-tha 


rk Peek 
{fq taleqoq dgatte af “aun? wooastaae et Eneo8 te asin? 
vt ral 


‘ ‘ i a 
i ) 


ivi . 
i i de “and _ r 
¢ 


writers of the day for their "miserable" productions; the manag- 
ers were scored for their want of taste, the critics for their cor- 


ruption, and the actors for their supercilious satisfaction with 


& 
their own personal perfection. ("There's a lady in the stage-box 


contemplating my shape! The critics in the pit are astonished at 
my eases’ My character sits well on me, and so do my small-clothes? 
He classifies the principal local improprieties of the actors as 

"Gazing at the boxes, 

Adjusting the dress, 

Telling the audience their soliloquies, 

Wearing their hats in rooms, and 

Not wearing them in the open air.) 
"A few words from the critical benches, or a shout of put on your 
hat'# from the galleries, might end them at once." He. admits that 
this criticism from the galleries might be unpleasant for the act- 
or, but the actor should take care not to deserve it. He haroed a 
good deal on Mr. Kemble'’s "vicious" pronunciation’, women’s male 


attire’, and the need for modesty."* 


Of all his criticisms, Pope 
as a tragic actor came in for the severest: 

",.. When Shakespeare wrote his description of "a robustious 
fellow, who tears a passion to tatters," one would suppose 
that he had been shewn by some supernatural means the future 
race of actors, as Macbeth had a prophetic view of Banquo's 


race, and that the robustious phantom was Mr. Pope. Here is an 


actor then without face, expression, or delivery, and yet this 


"Critical Essays, etc." Appendix, p. 2. 
Idem, Appendix, pp. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10. 
Idem, 45, 166, 175, and Appendix 21. 
Idem, 179, 209. 


en 
© 


complications of negative qualities finds means to be clap- 
ped in the theatre." And here, according to Mr. Hunt, is 
the unfailing method of obtaining a clan. "It consists in 
nothing more, than in gradually raising the voice as the 
speech draws to a conclusion, making an alarming outcry on 
the last four or five lines, or suddenly dropping them into 

a tremulous but energetic undertone, and with a vigorous 

jerk of the right arm Sane algal? the stage. All this as- 
tonishes the galleries; they are persuaded it must be some- 
thing very fine, because it is so important and so unintel- 
ligible, and they clap for the sake of their own reputation.? 
e.. Mr. Pope has but two gestures, which follow each other 
in monotonous alternation, like the jerks of a toy-shop har-. 
lequin: one is a mere extension of the arms, and is used on 
all occasions of candour, of acknowledgement, of remonstrance, 
and of explanation; the other for occasions of vehemence or 
of grandeur, is an elevation of the arms, like the gesture 

of Raphael's "St. Paul Preaching at Athens,“ an action which 
becomes the more absurd on common occasions, from its real 


sublimity." @ 


In much the same way that Hunt criticises Mr. Pope's two gestures, 


he criticises his two facial expressions: one “a flat indifference 


which is used on all sober occasions, and an angry frown which is 


used on all impassioned ones." 


a's 


1. 


This thrust at the audience makes one wish that Hunt were alive | 
to "current-comment” on the Washington Conference and the pub- j| 
lic thanks-giving festivals decreed in honor of it. Gullibility || 
ranging the haunts of men can still find signs of "Rooms to let.j' 
"Critical Essays, etc." pages 22, 25, 24, 


o eae by aon .Q rae { 
ay. Pim 


ST OEE ae 


—- 
= 


rT) on ot enegmt) 


f) . | | : ‘ | - | 
| pont ded 20 weaken eeuvibyo % ws 4s ta 


tovaatacal ye i: wo! "ore tm rer 4 , 
. pyc bak 
‘ ‘ : ; iat Stnen Ds ov Pe u , ; “ ty “ts 
. : ' yh eo ee dh > 
; 7 my | ' , a ao it on J oe ote ] 
7 +o2 0 (SS megeg! # + tit 
, f | | 


; “v 
esa tame ng ++ 
, 


j 
a [dad bndehseddond seta : 

eS 

-_ : , as 


i inl 4 Th a 
7 : : VA) 
Ones ‘. a i it vet 


60 


But Mr. Hunt never entirely lodses sight of his underlying 
purpose in criticism. He set out to praise what was worthy of 
praise; and although he had no respect for error, however long it 
had been established, or for vanity however long endured; he was 
ever ready to admire dignity that was not pedantic, pathos that 
was not artificial, gesture that did not suggest machinery, ex- 
pression that was more than paint and lamplight; he looked for the 
laughter that had heart in it, charm that radiated sincerity, mod- 
esty that demanded respect, and vivacity that inspired wholesome 
hearty amusement. About such qualities as these he was eager to 
write with warmth and generosity. He pointed out the "mingling 
of heart with humour" that Mr. Bannister enacted; he paid tribute 
to the “virtue and respectability" that Miss Duncan possessedj3 
he admired the “simple passion and mixed emotion of anger and 
tenderness, and testiness of good-hearted old age” that disting- 
uished Mr. Dowton; he indulged the "liveliness, social vivacity, 
and dry humor" assumed by Mr. Elliston; and he pays tribute to 
the "charming openness and gaity" of Mrs. Jordan, whose “voice 
pregnant with melody, delights the ear with a peculiar and exqui- 
site fulness, and with an emphasis that appears the result of per- 
fect conviction... Her laughter is the happiest and most natural 
on the stage;" ... it is ag natural as emotion itself, and "“inter- 
mingles itself with her words, as fresh ideas afford her fresh 
merriment; she does not so much seem to indulge as she seems un- 
able to help it; it increases, it lessens with her fancy, and 
when you expect it no longer according to the usual habit of the 


stage, it sparkles forth at little intervals, as recollection re- 


Od 


“Od?2 tasbhl teow? «a yabT0W vos athw the 


se eafebo! of moses dome oe toe send ote 


— 

; 
7 
~~ a i 
o rae 
4 0 "S 

t 

12? 4 
jidaa f 


foelileoot a2 yecaragens elegit: de: conde veal 


safvl moltome es fLatwean # al a2 gde OE 


fages ont ad aitbeooss regaol: ‘On ot. ‘vo 


a SS 
08 | 
le BeRpPOs ere Tove eet ate 
» a eeiotg of ten Foe oR ,matotetee ae wag 
cathe ee t doeqeus ob bed ot Ganguors ae 
o4 @ritkev sor te bone fon sag Ms 
isabeq Jen aaw fant qiiegds orlmdbe ot | 
se Son DES dene vw) eey 4 Corstens 
Saul ol bas @itheq cad? orem eee 
- : utado wae Te: aeaaes bua oe ; 
cslcéviv' bus ty0ce OX vebaameh'a 
, es eisilagp owe ato Gh aie 
, oF Vilaoteneg oul Jamia 
éoce bec’ .. } wti &, ” taro meet can't 
£ f I ; 'y2Lileae eq awe. haw ‘On 
ou Sa dodavar viqacam ae ta 
w Bf R ‘aus Khan 1 re ewe 
~acoulle m if begiubot wd a 
ed bee srg (ile .ok Yo Loataua vom 
toU .#% So "eiien bie FI AAOGS HUM 
peo 2 Ag! “eo et? s2dn1000 exboton dod 
ii’ aaseqqa #eci sltesetomo na ‘aves 
na ?e6loeced og a ‘onus 168 .'. Jetway 


i 


o 


¥ 


mts 
e 


of natw ocoseel hk ,cesdecont wt sad as 


eee ay D i ‘A “ 


syhe 


i hiro 
: , ee 
mn - af ve Dp 
} oy my Ai, . vis 
; le Ani ink Dy ty ay ff Mii 


61 
vives it, like flame from the half smothered embers." 


The temptation to quote further in illustration of Mr. Hunt's 
felicity in the art of praising is not easily denied; although 
long passages of such hearty approval as this from which we have 
extracted a brief quotation, are few, not because Mr. Hunt found 
it difficult to praise, but because he saw so little worth prais- 
ing. One need only compare what he says of Mrs. Jordan with what 
he wrote about Mr. Pope to ve convinced that he was more at home 
in approving than in condemning. Picking out what was beautiful to 
look upon, heartening to contemplate, fortifying to emulate was 
the was bothvocation and avocation to Leigh Hunt. As already ex- 
Plained, ne does not blame the actors alone. He thinks responsi- 
bility for correcting authors for representation rests with the 
managers of theatres. He laments the perpetual representation of 
wretched dramas whose genius rests entirely upon their immorality, 
because they are nurtful to the immediate reputation of the act-_ 


ors. He regrets that ne has been compelled to draw examples of 


good acting from fewm the worst dramas. But the hope that he may 


have been of service by assisting the improvement of his own age 
in play writing and acting has encouraged him to exercise his best 
powers, such as they are, against the barbarities of modern come- 
dy. "Succeeding ages very often acquire an unconscious tone from 
the most trifling exertions. Like the child who was awakened ev@- 
ry morning by his father's flute, they rise in the calm possession 
of their powers, unconscious of the favorable impulse that has been 
given them." Modern dramatic criticism may not be conscious of 


the favorable impulse given it by Leigh Hunt, but the power and 


62 


whatever sanity, independence, and sincerity it may possess was 


first fostered by him. 


A paragraph of self-appraisal from Wf. Hunt may help us in 


placing a right estimate upon his ability as a critic of matters 


theatrical. In speaking of the attacks that were made upon him 


for his criticisms, he says that they 
"...were little calculated to obtain their end with a youth who 
persuaded himself that he wrote for nothing but the public food; 
who mistook the impression that anybody with moderate talents 
can make with a newspaper, for the result of something peculiar- 
ly his own; and who had just enough scholarship to despise the 
want of it in others.” He does not pretend to think that the 
criticisms in the "News" had no merit, but believes that the 
"pains he took to round off a period with nothing in it, or to 
invent a simile that should appear offhand, would have done hon- 
our to better stuff." In speaking of the volume entitled "Crit- 
ical Essays on the Performers of the London Theatres", he says, 
"I have the book now before mez: and if I thought it had a chance 
of survival I should regret and qualify a good deal of tninform- It 
ed judgment in it respecting the art of acting, which, with 
much inconsistent recommendation to the contrary , it too often 
confounded with a literal, instead of a liberal imitation of 


fatness 


"Autobiography," edited by his son, 1860. p. 143, 144. 


ee rf > (oe Wi ie lat i Boe 
OS ely Ls | ' i 


ae , 7eontc See , dOnehneqehal ,ysiaas 1. . 


old yd Seveg eae 
ve 7 


‘wh .2% mov? lasletqqe-tlee te Aqgeige 


> ito @ o# GVLLiicgs aia soge sigeniies Iaghs j 
iow tadd -exgessa od7 to geliaege ax bs 

‘ou! tage eyes of rematotis 

bh ®e tied? ataide 62 betal volme i 

od icJon 20% ef03W of tad?. Xf ment " 
ghoduan sed? as eseeoiis ead 

| = oe i 

ie r poe we g807 101 Te eg Coe o <—- 


edl bh OF ctddwalode dave mw ex) fed odw bow 


Aa sp 
‘aie, 
Bi) gevetled ta#0 ,.2item om bai 4 sworn, ou”e mh 


| 
| 
| 
| . 
ot teids of baeterte fom seob of “ pewende mh 
of ae git djon feiw Sobieqg #« tito Bbosat 02 068 
501 ob oF b\ivow ,buadtto 1a8G4e bivode teed eft 
eho" eliicgae pmarl Oy at to gat ‘neoge ol] | 6". ine tod 
mn “dordaet fobdio, eas Yo evento ?1084F ont a0") 
geonadea a L thidigaodt 1 tt tam pom ede ted wor sood wi 
-mniotuiag to fueb boos 4 Uiilass Bae seasrgey pivot i ha 
| c3iw  .waoldse notice to t4e of9 galtoeqest 1 ah dae 
kerio oot ol ,~ghetsaoo ete oF No tiarcensooet Medea 


to eoljatiod Larecih « to Sasteal ePertry @ aelw, pe 


bel, GOt. 1d .00GE een clk yd beside * vac so 4AG9 


a an 2 Lan eee Ne 
| ee mr > ad ae 


| thinks that Hunt's 


| 


easy direction for the genius of Leigh Hunt to take. 


VI 


INDICATOR AND TASTER 


Critical and aesthetic appreciation. Imag- 

ination and Fancy. CGritical estimates. 

"What is Poetry"? --Details.and examples. 

"Wit and Humour", "a jewel case of crit- 

icisms." Character of the two books. The 

conclusion. "Who still rules our spirit 
from his urn, 


From dramatic to literary criticism was the natural and 


Everything 


that his mind occupied itself with, which was not literature in 


some form, had for him only such interest as inheres in stepping 
stones: useful to get from where one is to where one wants to go. 


All his life he had been an inclusive reader, and a discriminating 


one. 


good in books, and especially in poetry. 


fancy, 


its sweetness and its music, 


He never failed as an intelligent appreciator of what was 
Of its imagination and 
its tenderness and its grace, 


| its wit and its humour, no better judge ever existed than Leigh 


Hunt, and no critic ever pointed them out with rarer skill. 


"has hardly won fitting appreciation." Macaulay, besides feeling 


a "kindness" for Hunt, credits him with the power of 


"A commentator on the minute beauties of poetry,” is Whipple's es- 


only his ardent admirers, but also his grudging critics. 


Among those who have given high rank to Leigh Hunt are not 


Lowell 


"subtlety of discrimination" and sound judgment 


"justly appre- 


ciating and heartily enjoying good things of very different kinds."]| 


| 


~ob{jeioeiqgae oitedisea base 


yo Vi -ofe3 62 sant Agiod to ewineg ef toF 


seteial sa teoetevat dowa yhmo ala ee 


rai ag 


eit @ 


77 . s¢°0 rains Itita onw” to Yarla. 


d+ sew melolsice cuatetsT 99 ot 


tOte2lserwqqe faegiliiovgnl BA sa bolita 


L¥ 


AaTeav Cha SOCAOTOMI 


s¢ 
omicge C[eotees>. .eecat it 


meso Hoa, pple givty t"yweood at “tae 
10 o8e0 Lewel a” «"swongh bas 
swood owl ed? 3o getesetedh *, 


rag ald wot 


Ni 


tou sew doldw ,dilw tleast belqssoe 


eceit of af eso etedw woxt Jeg o¢ 
te ,tehbaet etlewlonut asa shed Bam @ 
esl 20) ,qntdoq wf eifelonqae baa 


steboeds ati ,.ote0ce e972 ban abend 


i ie 
t betalae reve eabet sotied bn ,.seoned aah es 
ine torax d¢iw gvo med? hetetog aeve sliizelam 


cgiel of tnat Agid nevig ovat Giw enone 


ni 


ivo geipiwiy eld cule ood ,exothaba VE 


bua “woldwalmlaoath to' geeltdge” a* ing 


alteost *. coldsleerqqe yolevi2 gow 
‘ewan wiht iiie aig eribore ,taum 26% 
tev to spatad boog ecigolao citanena 


* wrtiieaq 30 selvewed etonte one ae oil 


64 
timate of him, Saintsbury grants that, in the faculty of literary 
criticism, Hunt is “with all his drawbacks, on a level with Cole- 
ridge, with Lamb, and with Hazlitt, his defects as compared with 
them being in each case made up by compensatory or more than compen- 
satory merits." Winchester, commenting on Hunt's critical writings, 
deems "his contributions to literary theory by no means insignifi- 
cant." Undoubtedly Hunt had considerable power of analysis and def- 
inition, as well as ability to taste and to indicate what was good 
in literature. The best single example of this is, perhaps, the in- 
troductory essay to the volume aptly entitled "Imagination and Fan- 
cy." according to Winchester, this essay, entitled "What is Poetry? 
"is, on the whole, as satisfactory an answer to that question as any 
more recent writer has been able to give us...the essay is full of | 
the most acute and discriminating remarks. His discussion of the 
value of musical sensibility in verse, of the difference between 
smoothness and sweetness, of the effect of variety in accent, of al-| 
literation and assonance, his distinction between natural and pro- 
}s8aic,--which very neatly punctures the fallacy in Wordsworth’s fam- 
ous preface,-- these among other passages, may be cited as proof of 
the delicacy and justice of his taste when dealing with general 
principles." Mr. Brimley Johnson states that Leigh Hunt's critical 
work, all that is directly so, is confined almost entirely to pre- 
ifaces. This statement, we presume, is true when the judgment it 
|}pronounces got its direction from Mr. Johnson's "directly so." Our 


jown preference, however, is for the two volumes entitled resvnective- 


jiy, "Imagination and Fancy," and "Wit and Humour." 


"Imagination and Fancy" is first among the likable things 


that Leigh Hunt has done in the way of criticism. The little volume] 


65 
was hapily christened: under its title almost anything other than 
the dull and prosaic might be discussed. But what it actually does 
| include may be briefly summarized. The volume of three hundred and 
fifteen pages consists of an essay on "What Is Poetry?" extending 
| to sixty-one pages, and a series of quotations from the poets of 
England whom the world has agreed to call great, namely, Spenser, 
Marlowe, Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Milton, Coleridge, Shelley, and 
Keats. Bach set of quotations is prefaced by a short critical not- 
ice of the poet from whom they are taken; and those expressions to 
which Mr. Hunt wishes to call special attention are printed in ital-|| 
|ics (this is Mr. Hunt's usual way of "indicating"), and after most 
of the pieces quoted he has placed notes, intended either to clear 
up the meaning where it is obscure, or to point out lurking beau- 


ties. 


From this description of the volume we may readily conclude 
| that it is not the ordinary anthology. It is that, but it is more. 


| We may call it an anthology in the sense that here we have a cole 
f 


| lection of delectable extracts from the best English poets; but it is 


more in that Leigh Hunt, like the Cuculus Indicator of his own per- | 
| todical, hovers over the specimens in the volume, and by means of 

j his critical introductions, and chatty notes in conclusion, points 

| out to us the honey spots. Herein, indeed, lies the strength of 
Laeden Hunt's critical service. Critics too often talk for an aud- 
ieace that does not need their instruction. Readers who can under- 

| stand the critics (many of them) can also understand the authors 

| criticised, and make up their minds about them. Readers who cannot 

| understand authors, cannot understand the critics either. Why not, 


it may be asked, leave the authors who have nothing worth praising 


2 ef912 #7t sebsan sdbonotetado yi 
-Lewavoul® ed tdgla oleeoaq badh 


ocoT  zbuslirtsempe yl Yeldvd ed | 


hibsetse “Ty. teod el tadw" uo yeeee ae to edelenoe @ 
to “8006 ut enolgatoes 26 seluveon « bam ,eepad: 


eotm ifLeo of beertne ood bigew Oe 
ges 


ae ih 1 
» etic -eyilvelod ,qovli® ,epeco% set ,eegs 
tose rd heoatesq G8 aholtatogp to ooo | 
=? Seana Ot ;neda? owe yen? ‘ odw - ops, 


r s 4 ’ : 
ere coldueéta leloece (lao ot wedaiee 


i 
to2 bas ,("“gnlitaectgal*® to yer Laver e*'iaet GZ 


tle bebsetal ,@e¢o8 beosta sad ost botoup er 
& 


' +; bs, 2 
lL ow alog oe? «® ,etwoedo of 2) egetw Ome 


-fibeot yam ow enslov ef) to aoléqitonsh ota a 

we 

" : ! © ,fadd ef f1 .ypeleniaem yuaaldao one) ee 
Ly: 

Ten Jac? seces of? £2 Yuelotenes As eh 


7. 


fai jud sateoq Mailan® daed of9 moa? seceeiae ci eavoot th 
-aeq awd @bt Yo t0o¢aclbal avigoed ajta oalt , sae aatheet 
to agaenm c bus ,emulov @ec2 ail snouleece ed@ Tero pe 
sialoqg ,selseflouce al setos _erianto bas recon rebound ad 
igncorde od? sell rheobal ,alazel -atoqe yonod 

& 10% «lad selto oo8 selhtiad wolvaes faci? ino, of 


‘ 


oi tf so off atebaes aoliogsien, alede bean von. 
5 


ne” 


| ‘todtus ott osetoveban O8La man (mons to een) agiate 
| 


es 


poeo ofW avebaot .meds ‘thede ebain teas: qu oan | 
,d0@ £AW .wenhdleo seteies ont baad wtobnw tomman’sc 


aoluleve dirow gubdvon ovat oaw eonttice bead: 7 ee = 


i’ 
ee eee - + Ot bee SG ‘ M 
- Are Mog ks it 


a an 


66 
alone? Instead of spending time decrying the worthless, give more 
attention to pointing the hesitating reader to the beauties of lit- 
erature. That, at least was Hunt’s belief; and he not only opened 
a way of enjoyment for the general reader, but he enriched litera- | 


ture by the encouragement he gave contemporary writers. 


With a little encouragement our imagination and fancy can 
picture Leigh Hunt at his favorite fireside, talking with friends, 
two or three, perhaps more. Now and then he picks up a volume from 
the table and reads. It is a favorite passage, from a favorite auth 
or, to be sure, and therefore fit subject for illuminating remarks. 
They will not always be in approval, but his general purpose is to 


praise; for he has chosen to read what he likes. So in this volume.| 


|It presents a sort of fireside reading and running comment. But mere 


lly to present passages of poetry particularly pleasing to Hunt, was 


not the primary object of the volume. Its purpose was more serious, 


more critical. 


One of the objects of the book, we are told in the Preface, 
was to show "what sort of poetry is to be considered as poetry of 
the most poetical kind, or such as exhibits the imagination and 


fancy in a state of predominance, undisputed by interests of anoth- 


er sort." And by a careful perusal of the introductory essay, 


"What is Poetry?" we learn that poetry and meter are not the same 


|thing; and further, that poetry is something different from the 


metrical expression of even great thoughts. He insists that we may 
quote from Shakespeare, Milton, Byron, and other great poets, hun-. 


dreds of passages which are soul-stirring without being strictly 


poetical; that the passages in a poem most pregnant with mind and | 


‘~ : DR its 
ore 
- nr nants seman —— - 


{ o ni 3 suag 4 
* 2” 


rT 
¢ af “ : + @ Gite 
, ' 
. ra ~ a an 
1 
P ee He 
« w id : ~ Jie Aah yang we o 


we 
- 
> 
~ 
he 
* 
wt 
” 
a 
s 
. 
=e 


t oF eidacod? 1m6%R ave To maha 

ri P aly 
es eT 20tva ,worlle eo vaoquodent & 
tiw galetlie-fbon eta a ols. ongas 


f i roe Meodg A ai ae epacesg oe 


ee ! =F a Poult 


. = fi 
as oe rT ee 


67 
meaning, most agitating in its effects, and most decisive in its 
testimony to the genius of the author, may yet have less of the es- 


sence of poetry in it than many inferior passages. 


In answer to the question, What class of poetry is the high- 
est? Mr. Hunt says, "undoubtedly, the Epic." Then, after mentioning| 
Homer, Shakespeare, Dante, Milton, Chaucer, Spenser, Ariosto, he con 
tinues:; 

"...It is to be borne.in mind, however, that the first poet of 
an inferior class may be superior to followers in the train of 
a higher one, though the superiority is by no means to be tak- 
en for granted; otherwise Pope would be superior to Fletcher, 
and Butler to Pope. Imagination, teeming with action and char- 
acter, makes the greatest poets; feeling and thought the next; 
fancy (by itself) the next; with the last. Thought by itself 
makes no poet at all; for the mere conclusions of the under- 
standing can at best be only so many intellectual matters of 
fact. Feeling, even destitute of conscious thought, stands a 
far better poetical chance; feeling being a sort of thought 
without the process of thinking,--a grasper of the truth with- 
out sessing it. And what is very remarkable, feeling seldom 


makes the blunders that thought does. 


Writers may be conveniently referred to one of three class- 
}@s according as they make it their principal business to expound 
| doctrines, to stimulate to action, or to do something which we can 
Jas yet only describe by saying that it is different from either. It 


lis only poetry belonging to this, the third class, that Mr. Hunt 


1. Imagination and Fancy, p. 55 


f ‘, a 
ia ou a od ot @ 
‘ \ Ait " oe 

i: io f2Ogs o¢ {on 4 wh a 
| a 


NM L220 . f6at) -eqod rots 2 pir 


' a » 
: 1 as 9 gc @H 
t) 
| . 1 
i cag 4 a ot oe | 
rf : 
U fu m 4 Aa 3 
f 
>. 
7. F P st Hage puvig i 
: 
. - ‘ ie Ot + of ' ~' 
' : 3 aA Le 
i] ® > “eV ¥4 th 
/ 


44 . .% ~ uf ‘ 4 ixneveor ad yom ane 


La’ 


: iu , v r “ 
lead laqloalag: tleda 21 edem Rode al 


o2 320 ,oold¢ce O23 


rertib al tl sede 
a salo bulda off ,eteg of wrtann.ing oa 
‘ i ; ny 
; | : * ee a ee re 
a 
Bd ect i] bap i . td a 


68 


has admitted to this collection. With a little reflection we may 


prognosticate the nature of his selections. Will they be well known 


passages Will they be those lines, couplets, stanzas which are oft 


en quoted in public assemblies, and made to do duty at banquets, and 


in the halls of political bodies where nations are leagued, bellig- 


ents are disarmed, navies are scrapped, and people are protected? 


Beautiful expressions devoid of lulling effect on human conduct, 


these have little ap- 


and unforgettable echoes of infinite things, 


peal for the average person whose pleasure it is to humour whims 


and prejudices for his own gain. Hudibras, for examole, which sup- 


plies (or supplied) plenty of quotations, would not be called poet- 


ry by its staunchest advocate. Such a passage as 


"What makes all doctrines plain and clear? 


About two hundred pounds a year. 


And that which was proved true before, 


Prove false again? Two hundred more." 


but certainly | 


|may be convincing enough, may have rhyme and reason, 


| has no poetical appeal. Neither have the vehement jealous outburst 


|} of Othello, the ironical cg§nicisms of Iago, the fulminations of 


Milton's Satan, the rantings of Don Juan, the philosophizing of 


Browning's "Rabi Ben Ezra," nor the criticisms in Pope’s "Essay on 


lMan." In all such as these that have been enumerated, the appeal 


[is to something other than to the purely poetical. What the aver- 


| age person wants is a proverb of the "Poor Richard" type, a passion 


| 
torn to tatters, or a prejudice well spoken. But jingling proverbs, 


full mouthed passions, and pet prejudices are not poetry. 


"Imagination and Fancy" we find in it 


But coming back to 


4 ui oil dug. ‘} 


| | | 

| ‘ ‘ e A: 
. - ; nf 5 ? a ay id eopay eve e ig te ‘ 
| i 7 A 1 


iv “ot ope 
be 


| : | Be! 
7 ae 
| al a 12014 20% 
| . ied O82 
) f 
- | 
: . 9 @af 
: . 
| os re > oc go? a3 i; gi Loh 
| . ' ii % | * vi g 
, ix f , ' 7 ees | 3 4 ; 
| Aoqe Liow eothutedd » so , ames) CF 
\ » J rs 4, Ry : 
| e esolbolexd #eq Sea , saotsnag be vs 
: 


69 


mea 


what Mr. Hunt calls "poetry in its element, like essence distilled,’ 


as different from that which we call poetry in its compound state, 
that is, poetry which appeals to a variety of emotional and intel- 
lectual attributes." Examples of "poetry in its element, like es- 


sence distilled” are, according’ to Mr. Hunt, 


"It ceased; yet still the sails made on 
A pleasant noise till noon-- 
A noise ines hidden brook 
In the leafy month of June, 
That to the sleeping woods all night 
Singeth a quiet tune.” 
The happiest instance he finds of the great importance that imagi- 
nation in all its phases is in the highest poetic faculty is the 
passage in which Shakespeare describes the moonlight “sleeping” on 


the bank. 


“How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank; 


Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music 


Creep into our ears; 


soft stillness, and the night, 


Become the touches of sweet harmony. 


«e+ LOOk, how the floor of heaven 


Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold; 


Some idea of Hunt’s conception of poetry has already been 


given; but it may not be amiss to quote his definition. "Poetry," 


he says, “strictly and artistically so called, that is to say, con- 


Sidered not merely as poetic feeling, which is more or less shared 


by all the world, but as the operation of that feeling, such as we 


see in the poet’s book, is the utterance of a passion for truth, 


HL on, » as ts, Bi Lav fr 
oe 7 7 Cae Goo i) ry vi ee no, wi 
w- — A ee . 
-~ Og a a oe A A pee eae 
i 7 =4'9 7 _ 
4 
ie 
: 
4 
: . ' 
) 
, 
7 - 
7 
ial 
. a \ rf. 7 i , 
_ : ‘ \ rovuwd 
Ng 
on 
. ' 
' 
, 
»s 
& 
? oat 
i ) 
. 
a , 
. , bs 
‘ 
| 
° 
. 
* 
? 1 
; f% 
i) 
’ 
* " 
é ’ 
ei iLgeoog 
es d 
- 
q 
: . 
: aad 
‘ 
® ’ . ' a uf 
‘ 
a . 
, ! 
My 
, t 
i W ’ 
‘ 
. fe 
i. 
er F f 
: 
f t . : P ” 
ae ee | 
T 
1 ‘y * f 
‘bee 4 _~* a * ' wt 
bi aa liee? obt eer a ose | 
i ' 
i f (ort Ue a a 
he, we ‘payin 
oS i hi NA 
s ' ' ; La i ¢ i 
4 ) iO i To Oa 
Wi 
3! 
. —* “ ow 
to Goratioes 7H anit’ 
: ay ; 
Moar : ind hie ; 
é j = +) N ad i Ve a pa ; 
pia Enel ae 5 ete aoe sayy moto we ma ena ee aS a veh ta . 


ry, . I Ae 7 yh : * i “ oo m oa 


70 
beauty, and power, embodying and illustrating its conceptions by 
imagination and fancy, and modulating its language on the prin- 
ciple of variety in uniformity. Its means are whatever the uni- 


verse contains; and its ends, pleasure and exaltation." 


Life, it seems, is a process of forging conventions; and 
it is poetry, according to Hunt, that keeps us from becoming en- 
tirely imprisoned in their soporiferous compacts. Like love and 
beauty, poetry touches nature's clouds to glory for us. A proper 
interpretation, both of his definition and the selections in the 
volume, will discover the fact that the entire collection is an 
illustration of the definition, and that exaltation and pleasure 
will help us to "go softly" between, among, and by the conventions | 
that hedge us in from nature. A lover of Spenser always, it is 
quite natural that Hunt should select him as the first exponent of | 
his definition. 

eee "Spenser's great characteristic is poetic luxury." 

Hunt thinks that "If you go to him for a story, you will 
be disappointed; if for style, classical or concise, the 
point against him is conceded; if for pathos, you must 
weep for personages half-real and. too beautiful; if for 
mirth, you must laugh out of good breeding, and because it 
pleaseth the great, sequestered man to be facetious. But 
if you love poetry well enough to enjoy it for its own sake, 
let no evil reports of his "allegory" deter you from his 
acquaintance, for great will be your loss. His allegory 
itself is but one part allegory, and nine parts beauty and 
enjoyment; sometimes an excess of flesh and blood. His 


forced rhymes, and his sentences written to fill up, which 


: 
" . 
| 

? n 
| 
a snsinaiaiilia 
_———— 1 i a ¥ smn = 1 es 


‘nea eid said . 


ew 
= seis 
v i) 
i% a ;W 
. 5 
VY ie 
eo 7 
, t{bhiogooa 
at 
es ote _ 
oy WA HO « ia 
domed 
i 
* 
| +1OLse a ] 
, 
Ta 6 Gan 
A x 
L 
i 
sda 
¢ 
-xol 
‘7908 
. é 4 
» 5 
r shacalog 


(len Ineq eno amd 4 


te seals ong 


71 
in a less poet would be intolerable, are compared with such 
endless grace and dreaming pleasure, fit to 


‘make heaven drowsy with the harmony.’" 


Spenser is more “southern than the south itself"; he is 
constantly "haunted with the sense of beauty,” and all his versi- 
fication is "perpetual music." Critics born of the earth may not 
find his poetry to fit their rules, also born of earth; but poets 
themselves have idolized and imitated him more than any other poet | 
has has ever been idolized and imitated; and all "the gods are 
ravished with delight" by his celestial song, and the wondrous 


might of his music. 


In the selections that follow the critical remarks, ya 
Hunt first points out the exquisite modulation, the noble senti- 
ment, and the tone quality of "Archimago'’s Hermitage." Next he 
oo us in the "@ave of Mammon" what Hazlitt has called the "por- || 


tentous massiveness of the forms, the splendid chiaro-scuro and 


shadowy horror." Then we are brought to a "Galery of Pictures 


from Spenser," which Hunt considers, and concludes thereby that 
Spenser is the poet of painters, and also the painter-poet. To 
each of the pictures in thés "Spenser-Gallery" Mr. Hunt has at- 
tached the name of the painters whose genius the poem reminds him 
of. There are nineteen such pictures; but only two of them are 
here quoted. The first one, entitled "Hope," is, according to 
Hunt, such a picture as Corregio might have painted. It has, so 


he says, sweetness, but is without devotion. 


With him went Hope, in rank, a handsome maid, 


Of cheerful look, and lovely to behold; 


4 : 7 >! ‘hf 
7 = 
™ 7 lias tae 53 OS 
GS A ro a a - _ _ 
eae SS LT — a . 
, ae ae 
a 7 
‘ { ae 
' 
: 
; 
\ 
i 
i 
- ‘ 
f 
: 
q ¥ 
# il ' 
’ 4 
a { 4 ; if 
wa: 
\ 
' 
6 we Sad 
) = e 


. ne 
lob. eovad sevigua 
‘i ; a il 


g : a 
— ‘a th ay 
- > if 

ah | vy 
: : ; 2o2P4k NOSG 
; ; Ps — nee (rah 

. : 42 4 : ‘Ane ey . 
i= 7 
i ‘ , 
o é 


. 
- ' 
1 
q © 
4 , A wt L oOo 
7 + 
r ua 75 
‘ 
' 
+ 
’ 
} ee : fuo 
: ‘eh 
‘ ‘ VU i ‘ 
: ; 2 
~ ir % oy , 
af 10% 
ri 
' 
* } i 
- . ’ w LGW 
. f 0 «800 
’ 
‘ 
Ww t ‘ *‘) 
‘ ad ine @ a 
4 wi Offi mee a 
_—y* 
' . . ns 
ad 
’ ¢ 
ad ”m 
’ 7 Fe: pahd 
* 7H] 
~ tev 4 


2 
~ 


ov Ppoageiw ef 32 Ge Pa] san? vows | o @Vee 
: m 

; , x rie 

, y ° ¥ > — * a a "4 0 
|, @ » ao ai ,eqok saeow aif dere, 
I oh a fe 
poe i ae 


td i 


In silken samite she was light arrayed, 

And her fair locks were woven up in gold. 
She alway smiled;--and in her hand did hold 
An holy-water sprinkle dipp’d in dew, 

With which she sprinkled favors manifold 

On whom she list, and did great liking shew; 


Great liking unto many, but true love to few. 


Of the verse "And her fair locks, etc." Hunt says, “What a love- 
ly line is that. and with a beauty how simple and sweet is the 
sentiment portrayed in the next three words,--'She always smiled!" 
Almost every line, however, is lovely to Hunt, and especially so 
is the felicitous Catholic image of the 

Holy-water sprinkle dipp’d with dew. 
If Corregio isn't in every color and expression of the whole pict- 


ure, then Hunt does not know where to find it. 
Here is the second selection, entitled 
A PLUME OF FEATHERS AND AN ALMOND TREE 


Upon the top of all this lovely crest 

A bunch of hairs discolour'd diversly, 

With sprinkl'd pearl and gold full richly dress'd, 
Did shake and seem to dance for jolity. 

Like to an almond tree, ymounted high, 


On top of green Selinis all alone, 


With blossoms brave tedecked daintily, 


Whose tender locks do tremble every one, 


At every little breath that under heaven is blown. 


* i " ebatim s5-2 : 


? => 
, au Ae a t Fi 
Ww dead i wiriail 
1 
| ~ 
y 

; : 
. u f 

i ’ i) wh 

r A, a abs 


‘ ee gah bon ited? 
a 


bh nitge is faw-Van - 


) is 
| | ; ' L* if S'agl o by 


fA 


sh? I 
i 
« 


=i 


is a vem 


F i x . ~ ol 
j o0e8 bn? Gh 
es 
; 4 
- ‘ : 
i 
on mras 
) d ‘ ie 4D a“ 
iE 
} s af ‘ i 
' s ; Og pa09 ane 
' 3 
| t : ”, # nou 4 
, j 
a : ‘ ‘Iigiacs ais 
ihe) tt 
’ r " _ » 14 be 
| : * ) ee) i OF mena Das Ohece Pst 
| ; 
| oy 5 of 
| I oy Bh nie oc@ Of skid. 
, ’ 
4 , Sy Pm a pee ee an! nae “| 
| i % ane Le . .“ ¥ iis 
ly ; 


a ee | ee 
stab betdloe bed evaxd emossold agi 
4q 1g . iN ; i Ts hg 


i i : aye y ; A” ail * ig 
eievo eldmeut ob afoot *obued eadde te 
ye Cole ri) tke aN i : 


' 
i - F s : : ‘ > Be oul r 
: ebadg Jeu 7 re] 74070 ‘@ fi at > ¥ o' u ry vA 
i > if U s ™~ ™ 


73 
"What an exquisite last line! exclaims Hunt. But he finds fault 
with the poem as a whole, and says it is not a description fit for 
a picture. The accessories needed for a good picture are not here; 
and the reference to the image illustrated is mot good or true. 
There is a feeling of too much minuteness and closeness in the very 
distance. Besides it is quite impossible to paint the tender locks 


“every one,” and the whisper of "every little breath.” 


These two, one a good the other a poor example of what Hunt 
calls painted poems, have been quoted to illustrate Hunt's criti- 
cism, and to show wherein he distinguishes between what he calls 
good and not good portrait poetry. It would be diverting, at least 
to quote others, but the two must suffice; enough these two, we be- 
lieve, to prove that the book is not a vague panegyric or second- 
hand rapture, but an intelligent, discriminating comment on good 
literature. He not only relishes a beautiful poem, but he explains 
the mystery of its mechanism, the witchery of its peculiar harmon- 


ies, and the intense force of words when used in certain combi- 


nations, and properly understood by the reader. That kind of crit- 


ical service, we think, is much more effective than the coldly im- 
personal pronouncements of the intellectuals. The rule of the an- 
cients as such, does not much concern, certainly does not interest 
the people who should be led to reading poetry. Hunt’s is the 
"shaping intellect"; his is the magic index-hand that points down 
the highway of Time, a thousand years back, that touches our lips 


with laughter, and sometimes compels us to tears. 


Each set of selections from Spenser, Marlowe, Shakespeare, 


Ben Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher, Middleton, Decker and Webster, 


1% enoltoele 


M ,todoteld bas tnom 1 a a 


oe 


ie 
st y 
ils | 
| Ae A 
* 
} “a i iieigg 
’ 
q | 
« + “ 
‘ 
a ascog 
J 
oO it ua 
‘ * 
: k BODLEE 
* 


: ) Oo 
7. ¥ 

rl ‘ 

fi. 8 

i+ aaa 


as F 
io te otner VO EMOMCRE { 


a ive &OoQs 


p i, oi 0 ee 
semitecos bas , 16s egeeR 
r ly 
n v ,. 


\ 
1 
ny 


a to Jos 
oa ie f 
yy ee A 
wee 
es 
hi ae i iy iil an 
= ‘ we i - 
® - ond i 


ae ' ‘Til ae ae 


ae 


74 
Milton, Coleridge, Shelley, and Keats is prefaced by a short crit- 
ical notice. In the selections which he quotes, Hunt has indicat- 
ed his preference of particular lines or passages by italics. The 
reason for italicising (a device much deplored by certain critics, 
and designated by them as "signpost" criticism), Hunt informs us, 
was a desire on his part to meet the wishes of those who desired 
the italics. Hunt himself, "begs to be considered as having marked 
the passages in no spirit of dictation to anyone." Most of all, we| 
imagine, not to the critics. That, we think, would not be showing 


due respect for their individual opinions. For the wandering, half} 


lost layman non the highroad of poetry, signposts do not come amiss; 
they may not lead to the four-square City of Appreciation, but they! 


lead to the outposts of Understanding at least. 


The whole book is a sincere effort to have his readers see, 
as he sees, that everything which is deemed most justly human, as 
Hope, Love, and Reverence, can best be understood through the poet- 
ic strains of "the dead but sceptered soverigns, who still rule 


our spirits from their urns." 


"Wit and Humour," the companion volume to "Imagination and 
Fancy,” exhibits as much care in the choice, and contains almost 
as good a collection of extracts, as the volume we have just dis- 
cussed. In "Wit and Humour,” as in "Imagination and Fancy," his 
sympathies, vivid and easily won, were, nevertheless, held in check| 


balanced and directed by his impartial judgment. The contents of 


these two volumes are precisely what suggested to Charles Lamb the 


word "Indicator" as fit title for Leigh Hunt. The selections in 


“Wit and Humour,” with their prefatory notices of each poet in- 


route 
pee i 


oe ¢ ; ‘aa ’ , 2 [ mig 38 


; vasa ‘ » Bed , 
i! “ owed 7 - 2458 UO 
; 4 4 
4 : s os ht P 
df: oe 
igo of Vipi tTAGaR 


. ' a a 
ta T to ada 
; e*r zg & BOGG 
. 1 ? 
o~@ " 
a ) ; inv Sinvyteve jads y . 
; , : ate 


‘ ; : : onevever baw 


« eS 

’ ¢ 4 " ¢ % 1 _ ree 
ee 6 ' gat beeb on?" Te ef 
> 


oe '< a : ; ‘h - V0 
iirgqmi ald ~¢ Dbetoexkb hag 


k wl ‘ ] : 7 j 
g cy ‘feel ety oa semolev @ We 


’ / - « -; sa , + \ Ps D 
o 7N 0) ; 40. rot elsiy ory a2 
ei ' we 


2 
4 
= 


1 
h 2 


i \ i 
- . = i taave i ‘Zz j 
olran yteotetertg sleds aviw* 
. : f j 


; m \ eal 


Ast: Koen 


75 
cluded, their critical, explanatory notes, and their italics indi- 
cating Hunt's favorite lines, appeal to us exactly as if Hunt him- 
self should take from his shelves the works of the authors repre- 
sented, and read to us the passages he has marked, emphasizing with 
voice and gesture what he liked best, and interpreting the whole 
with brief, graceful, illuminating comments. Reading his marked 
books we can, if we will, get a double pleasure: we may laugh with 
him or at him. In most cases, however, our attitude will be like 
his was. There will be a grim satisfaction at the biting irony 
and acute wit of Swift and Butler; the macaronic nonsense of Drum- 
mond will be a common enjoyment; both of us will accept the lib- 
eral-thinking joviality of Chaucer, condone the wilful and super- 
abundant folly, "“humoured to the top of its bent" of Beaumont and 
Fletcaner, ve vivacious with Suckling’s dairy maid compliments, run 
riot with Marvel's extravagance, ward off low spirits with the wit, 
reflection, and good sense of Green, let the amiableness and "bon- 
homie" of Goldsmith lead us to comedy running into farce, and at 
the end of the volume be mirthful with Wolcot's occasional mock- 


heroic inversions. 


And here it may not come amiss to call attention once more 
to Leigh Hunt's critical method. In speaking of Wolcot's mock- 
heroic inversions, Hunt says, "To compare great things with small, 
and show that I commend nothing strongly which has not had a strong 
effect on myself, I can say, that Lear does not more surely move 
me to tears, or Spenser charm me, than I am thrown into fits of 
laughter when I hear these rhyming (mock-heroic inversions) *Jonn- 
sonia.’ ' I can hardly, now at this moment, while writing about 


them, and glancing at the copy which lies before me, help laughing 


o 


¢ r 
@ s 
g qd. if 
4 
Zw 
> y 
io 
iila 
i“ 
4] ¥ 
Oz omni 
; ‘45 
WW DP 
a : 
. w . eve jaw 
U ¥ 
ew ba 
‘ oe 
a 
ve 
bbl 
om «@ 
{ 
E 
- « 
J a  @ 


Ta - a = 7 
. 7 is ' i i - 


7 fer i : 
eABDALZLITS shone 


' 


[: ,ieteoasy.,ts 


, : Pe " 
- 2. ‘ » 7 ov ~* 
~*~ 


ted? ,.ymHe map i _ 


)} gaulwyds oaony 
om eld za’ we eibauet one 1 
ut § J j M 7 | 
Aoldw yqoe ont ta 


i" a (a 


to myself in private." 


It is this confessional characteristic that makes Leigh 
Hunt the admirable "taster" of literature which James Haney has 
called him. And here in "Wit and Humour”, a “jewel case", as Lord 
Jeffrey called it, Hunt has been at his best. But all the jewels 
are by no means in the extracts only. Many of Ma. Hunt's comments 
are gems in their own settings. Especially worth noting is the 
little miniature of Pope. "The little fragile creature had wings; 
and he could expand them at will, and ascend, if to no great imag- 
inative heights, yet to charming fairy circles, just above those 
of the world about him, disclosing enchanting visions at the top 
of the drawing room, and enabling us to see the spirits that wait 


on coffee-cups and hoop-petticoats."” 


Of necessity the limits set for the two volumes, "Imagina- 
tion and Fancy," and “Wit and Humour," dictated that the notices 
of the various poets included should all be brief, mere pipefulls 
at best; but they are of a flavor to whet the taste. Altogether, 
both are charming volumes in style and content, displaying a good- 
ly share of the "harvest home" of Hunt's critical acumen, his mat- 
ure and deliberate opinion of his favorite poets expressed in a 
spirit of genial criticism, delicate and discriminating. In a leis] 
urly perusal of the two books we feel as if passing through a ban- 
quet hall where wit and humour are at repartee, weighing words 
against each other; and after we have loitered to catch an echo 
here, have stopped to ponder a covert quip elsewhere, and have at 
last come to where we may look over our shoulder in retrospect, we 


are not quite sure whether what we have been hearing was the chuck- 


vaaem | 


1 : on sx awo sto eo 
‘ ' * 


i 4 i al? E ry; i bo 


A v : it ok @ 
pol 


y ve . 2. 
z i : O23 
' ; 
Mm 2612 ,.i6 
: j nl Y OaZ 
\ 
, ' : : i 6 Gi7 
t ; e - ‘oOCORQIA one ; 
; 
‘ +i f ‘ ~ & i bebal 4B 3) 4 OY 8 
i ajoog aw 
‘ ; J y +e. , + b eve ¥ or 
a 1 7 
ia oh Semel eos 
: . i % ’ ‘ woo 44 Pr ra. 
e . ° ‘tu ’ 4% RMmOL + @t ¥ 146 on 0 wi 
+ ab be 
ig . oo lt | j iy ra) 4 i | om 
} ’ 
j > s y ‘ P F ‘ rial a 
: | @Faeoliled _,malatius felg 
- 4 iT A 
i a eat wy eteood owt ay ro, 
. ixeqet (4 9%8 4womem bas tw onsity 
Fs is APT i ; 1 
ov Ber fol oved oF sottea boa _breate song 
a j 
: , F 1 vm is 1 ih, 
‘ » 7a 4 , = “7 2 2 a 
| p Gas ‘ > vO ow a * enneg. ; sa 4 ecgoei 
: = = - I " i . 
Zool bee 7) 
' t iW ar 


‘ - i i ' iw Y : 
2 4 " 7 
J 


77 
le of cunning and vulgar acuteness, the roar of obstreperous jol- 
lity, the compact of imagination and fancy playing with good fel- 
lowship in the Forest of Arden; or whether we have been listening 
to the Gargantuan laughter of those who mock at creatures of di- 
vine intelligence tied to a belly that must be fed, and hearing 
the intoxicated laughter of revelers at a feast where invisible 
hands are forever writing on the wall. But be it the one or the 
other, sure we are that Mr. Hunt has given us a feast. Are we of 
those who stand aside, looking critically at life as a procession 
of amusing figures? Tnen the books are full of laughter and comedy. '| 
But are we of those quick with keen feeling and alert with intel- 
ligent sympathy; then the books have in them the substance of 
tears and tragedy. Apart from the coloring which individual moods 
may lend to them, the imagination and the fancy, tne wit and the 
humour which we find in them are excellent; they are full of the 
essence of all the good sayings of all the wits and humourists who 


have laughed their way into the hearts of men. 


As We have progressed toward the end of our pleasant stay 
with Leign Hunt, we have come to feel very strongly that his place 
in English literature is a singularly high one. We have felt at 
times that he is not appreciated as is his due. This lack of es- 
timating him at his real worth is probably due to the wide field 
which his writings cover. A little less of what was for the pass- 
ing moment only would, perhaps, have won him greater recognition. 
But with necessity at the door, choice to limit his field was not 
given him. Meanwhile let us accept him for what he did. At his 
best none has surpassed him in kind. He was never supreme as were 


certain of his contemporaries; but there was one thing in which 


* 


aaugrke 
ribo. 


ce 


' 4 j ran mi 
Ta ’ f £@@T OF Bao vit owe 10s 
‘ wih ‘| 


: : 4 - : : «2 y ( pr? : 
1 f i 3 H ° _» #8 Li a 4 @ 3 os e1Lv saresae fr 


Bt — : i : bedvdaeatioe ng & “tom, ei ba 


2 ; 
iz . ; ( ie TA / 
v ; q Lf’ ealisit A’ oTOVOD wy 
i f 
| a i ee 
| 
; ow oven 4 sqadte 
| i) a 
# ; ; ms q 
aS _ a ' =~ de rf 
Ou a 4 » 100 Dp. wan i, ap > , crt navoes 
if % ) | 
] ia dal bea 


78 
he ranked first: in the imaginative glow and warmth and kindliness 
of his desire to open doors, and to lead us out of the prosaic 
life of every-day, and enable us to forget the dulness and the mean 
ness of the actual. It was his purpose to give wings to our imag- 
ination, and to set the winds of inspiration blowing; for it was 
his conviction that along whatever wondrous trail the awakened 
love of Beauty might finally wing its way, that love must have a 
start. To show us where it might begin, to point out the places 
where the imagination of others had taken wing was the supreme 


pleasure and profit of his critical service. 


He made no pretension to having discovered continents of 
originality, or new fields of inspiration. Indeed he believed in 
no separation whatever between them. The dulness of the actual 
and the beauty of the ideal are closely compacted to make the isth- 
mus that stretches between two eternities. What we hope to become, 
and what we long to possess,strike their roots deeply into what we 
once were, and what once we claimed as our own. There is no safe- 
ty, even were there a possibility, in cutting loose from the old. 
But because we can possess it only through individual experiences, 
the old will always be new. It is to this experience that Hunt 
would give us the wings of imagination, so that we might see and 


love, and love because we saw, the oldest things in their unspent 


beauty. Leigh Hunt had a theory that Love, Hope, and Faith in hu- 


manity, and Reverence, Beauty, and Service to all are the two trin- 
ities before whose shrine the heart should worship. If he reasoned 
at all it was with nis heart. With his heart he loved, and laughed,| 


and lived, and moved; in it he found the world of his fellowmen. 


‘ oi ore? 26 a6 thea kmaih 


{ a a oe 


7 5 2) . e : o f fg avy @ ¢d 
} 
- Y rm, “sog a2 
ia hs yf oe ew @ecand JARW 
e f ba 2 aed 7 
6 : ‘ : % _ j 11 BO nm 
y 
it 
. - ’ ,% a od i 
, i 
ad be = ane i 
= d Liga i 20 aaoiw of? @ 


— eye r vtoeent? a2 hen 

ig , ’ a 7 “y 9 

- : 23 OlLvVi0e bade eenaend . sounrered | 
i .* sow bleods ¢i140eR ade on} rT o oouse ot 

in eile Am 


* 
i 


I, [| bus , Bevel ed tra0d ads dean aon ed iow “ al 
TOW ont i | ah sbevedahi oe b 
' ' 


I * nh ‘gi pola 
“| a 1 i”: i .¢ : 
ey wari) _ : 


_ 
i i) _ 
NDP a) tes 

fat) | 


a9 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


Several fairly satisfactory bibliographies of Leigh Hunt and 
his works have been compiled. To four of these, which taken togeth- 
er, include practically everything published by Hunt, the present 
writer has had access. The references not given in the bibliogra- 
phies described below are included in the "List of Books and Other 
Items Used in the Preparation of this Thesis." The four biblio- 


graphies referred to are, in the order of publication, as follows: 


Ireland, Alexander "List of the Writings of William Hazlitt and 
Leigh Hunt, Caronologically arranged; with notes 
descriptive, critical, and explanatory; and a 
selection of opinions regarding their genius 
and characteristics, by distinguished contem- 
poraries and friends, as well as by subsequent 
critics; preceded by a review of, and extracts 
from, Barry Cornwall’s "Memorials of Charles 
Lamb;" with a few words on William Hazlitt and 
his writings, and a chronological list of the 
works of Charles Lamb." Two hundred copies 
printed by John Russell Smith. London. 1868. 
The sections in this volume of particular 

interest to students of Hunt are, 

1. Opinions regarding Leigh Hunt’s character, 

genius, and writings. 


2. Chronological list of the writings of Leigh) 


e “e =a —e : 
U f ‘ oO 4 af ec bac a4 5 ee ‘ 


es 


; one >. ek 


Johnson, 


Brimley R. 


Hunt; with notes, descriptive, critical, and 
explanatory. 

3. Thomas Carlyle on Leigh Hunt. 

4. Specimens of criticisms on Leigh Hunt 
and his writings; from the early volumes of 
"The Quarterly Review" and "Blackwood's Mag- 


azine." 


"The Poems of Leigh Hunt." London. 1891. 
The volume contains a classified list of Hunt's 
writings, an index, books wrongly attributed to 
Leigh Hunt, and a list of portraits, arranged 
as follows: 

1.Newspapers projected and edited by Leigh 
Hunt. . Eleven entries. 

2. Contributions to Other Periodicals. Twenty 
five entries. 

3 Essays: Collected. Twenty entries. 

4. London Guide Books. Three entries. 

5. Various Prose Works. Nine entries. 

6. Selections from Other Writers and 6ritical 
Biographies. Fifteen entries. 

7. Poetry: Separate Poems. Hight entries. 

8. Poetry: Collected. Twelve entries. 

9. Dramatic Pieces. Seven entries. Three of 
these were never published. 

10. Fragments. Two entries. 


11. Manuscripts. Six entries. 


Monkhouse, Cosmo. 


jingpen, Roger. 


12. Index to Bibliography Chronologicall ar- 
ranged. 

13. Books Wrongly Attributed to Leigh Hunt. 
Six entries. 


14. List of Portraits. Fourteen entries. 


"Life of Leigh Hunt." London. 1893. 

1. Poetical Works: Collected, nine entries; 
separate editions, fifteen entries. 

2. Prose Works. Thirty two entries. 


3. Selections, Etc. Seven entries. 


4. Books, Magazines, Etc., Edited by Leigh Hunt]| 


Twenty entries. 
5. Dramatic Works. Four entries. 
6. Contributions to Other Magazines, Etc. 
Twenty-seven magazines, etc. listed. 
7. Appendix, containing: 
a. Biography, Criticism, Etc. 
b. Magazine Articles, Etc. 
8. Chronological List of Works. Sixty-nine 


entries. 


"Autobiography of Leigh Hunt." Edited by Roger 
Ingpen. 2 vols. Westminster. Archibald Constable 
and Co. Ltd. 1903. Volume II contains (pages 
273-299) a chronological list of books written 
Or edited by Leigh Hunt. The poetical works are 


printed in Italics, the prose in Roman tyoe, and 


46 


oisdia oF xebml af 


.Saniert 


t gk clhel of betedLiftzA cianesW saoem . Sf 


-eeltdne xlé 


sz ’ 
) ) weodavol sed laneoe Ao tabs ae 
— 
Sel .nobac “.tou8 @pled to stiar en 
| jae ian ,betoeollod. eater $002 890% t 
| nelavce seosttt .eaobeibe ogee : 
-telatae ow? PrtiaAt,.aaizoy emt 5 
f seelirtae seve .078 penottonies «® 
hes Axle. d bettie «09% ,aenigesed -aeeos 16 , 
| . selaiag Ernow? 
elaine t2767 »anaew ohvenazt 8 
eae ~e¢claase® rwedtO of enoltediajaed 2 
. es [i ,ofte (somledgse seroh-E7naeT 
oiiatetucs ~.eLbseqga) at 
-©Of3 .seloitiad .ge@eetaera és 


.cf8 .seloti2ss ealteapal .¢ 
ecia-¢S2iG .ndve®8 to ¢efd Lanolagotosorcd) 18: 


,seittae 


aeoned gd besisag °°. tant sylad to téqarpe icosnas 
 eldetaned biadidow tod oithad ag¥ ator § seqgat 
eegaq) salaetacos ri emeloy 800k «bad 90 baa 


iene ( 
2 ednow fasdiec ed? 1008 Led d bet ib a, 
exe adnow fe q 3 ‘38 tee 


- te 


q 
sejilcw 2i00d to dahl lente tomorde: a (tsar np 


bose ,eaut newoh of @sonrqg O88 seedtett eda 
, 5 ¢ Aus Ne b isi oT a 
’ - : 7 : an ; : me) 9 
| ee ean — es 
a. i 


82 


the reprinted articles in small type. Each en- | 
try is followed by at least a title page descrip 
tion, and where the nature of the item describ- 
ed requires it, a table of contents is given, 
There are sixty-nine entries, inclusive from 
1801 to 1891. The chronological table in volume 
I, and the numerous foot-notes in both volumes 
are valuable for dates and other matters of 

fact and opinion. But dates are not to be re- 


lied upon without question. 


The six items that follow are not listed in any of the bibli- 
ogravhies which have come under the present writer's notice. Other 


items not included here are listed in the "Addendum." 


Brewer, Luther A. “Around the Library Table." This little book of 
fifty pages is entertainingly informing about 
rare and interesting items in the author's col- 
lection of Hunt material. It also contains one 
hitherto unpublished essay by Hunt. Cedar Rapids. | 

Fields, Mrs. J.T. "A Shelf of Old Books.” Contains gossipy and in- 
teresting side lights on Hunt and his books. 

Harper, H. d. "Byron's Malach Hamoves." A somewhat arbitrary 
and prejudiced attack on Leigh Hunt. 

Johnson, R. B. "Leigh Hunt." A biographical sketch and critical 
estimate by an admirer of Hunt. 

Starrett, Vincent "A Student of Catalogs." The "Foreward" by | 

Luther A. Brewer deals with Hunt. Cedar Rapids, 


Iowa. 1921. 


imp | aol ug 


Viiewd U 


of y * rs J i ‘i (oad 


| face % 
| 


rd *SB5eee10%* ent 


tl Llamas nl sagem 


sige? op 


'co® @nineyiala one erent 


rT. vp 


pHa eeid 


ooe@ begasidveres ofteds ta 


join Laolaqatgold wr dnled* 


toot datw okegh sewoid a aes 


boy is | betuldees ond 


bewoffos el yu 


pi ecd exr98etw bas ael? 


-%i seulepet be 


“a0 edt 


-£06L 92 £008 


oY svovempm et? One ,1 


eceh 10% wlvanin’ ote 
ivi «,a¢lmige baa tomt - 


tHoAtin seoqw betf 


708 e¢A wollod wait casel = 


o47 tebsyw acoo eovad @ 


at ot bedell ote exed bobale 


s#2uGld oa? BbuaotAa® 


A 


aixetane sft segaq ciTrs2 


oft wnaLiuerte 


tes bod Tet 


elcevam tag’ te aoisoel 


006 BIO ko. the@e AP 


ebis nil’ setee 


it s [os 


,Ff 
-sovonran doalek «ao rye" 


ovige beolboleigq base 


) votimds aa yd otamliag 


*, onotedad 0. ‘neboté 4” te a vo 
a 
Ae | | as oe 


thay uh 


LIST OF BOOKS AND OTHER ITEMS USED IN THE 


PREPARATION OF THIS THESIS 


The following list contains only those titles which have been 
used in the present study of Leigh Hunt. I have made two groups, 
the first group containing books by Leigh Hunt, the second selected 


titles of biography and criticism. 


I 
Hunt, Leigh. Autobiography. New edition, edited by nis eldest son. 
Published by Smith Elder. 1880. 

Autobiography. Edited by Roger Ingpen. 2 volumes, Westminster, 
Archibald Constable & Co. Ltd. 1903. A similar edition was 
also published by Dutton, N.Y. 1903. 

The Book of the Sonnet. 2 volumes, Boston, 1869. 

Correspondence, 2 volumes. Edited by his eldest son. London, 1862 

The Descent of Liberty, A Mask. London, 1816. 

Critical Bssays on the Performance of the London Theaters, 
London, 1807. 

Dramatic Essays, selected and edited by Wm. Archer and Robert 
Lowe. London. 1694. 

Essays, edited by R. B. Johnson. London. 1891 

The Examiner, A Sunday Paper on Politics, Domestic Economy, 
and Theatricals. Motto: "Party is the madness of the many 
for the gain of the few." Swift. 

The Feast of the Poets, Second edition, Amended and enlarged. 


London, 1815. 


iMHTO CUA Oudod TO FELIZ 


KO HOLPARAGERS 


1 eettta eacd? qlao saxlataoe 2eRE po two f 
, x bas ren t ,@an® Ayied + wha iaee 
yn ec? , tact Aalbod ee axnod | oneal 
ematotelao baa qe 
i he 
Hibe ,noleibe wat Vetgasaet ° 
O50! .reble AGtee ge bi 
tlazaov ,semolov & .seygel sog0d ¥¢ Beviae rT 7% 
4 


Psi *eligia & O98 Did «O4 + ohecnaeele 44 
cL .¥.M ,foteot yd penal 6 i 
,a0teok,eennioy & Jeune a 03 
bfo ela ud petibs .sonotov 4 1: awbs 
[Of ,hobeod .Awek a oUeres sa Te 1H ooM 
toveeseT dobacl edt TO eb@anteItet 6A BOS as | 
Stocok bue tedevk 8 cd bovine bas SaToeies ayeong 
acon -wonand | 
(@ol .sebmed .goamaoy .6 .f vd berlbe 
~¢teonont oldaencd wobtites oo seqe% Yebore A , a8 | 
“oem ed? to eeeatbaw eit el “eaag? 1od2on abeossa | 
| PTihwé ",wo% ade. te pcr. ds 


Cy cae nt 
beatalae bas bebnoma bolsine booed + & 2% 
i By eae aa 


eg i 4 Ww 


84 

Imagination and Fancy, or selections from the English poets il- 
lustrative of those first requisites of their art, with mark- 
ings of the best passages, critical notices of the writers and 
an essay in answer to the question, "What is Poetry?" First 
published in 1844. Reprinted 1845, 1852; a cheap edition, k870. 

The Indicator. Motto: "A dram of sweet is worth a pound of sour." 
Oct. 13th, 1819--March 2lst, 1821; bound in 2 vols. 1821. 

A Jar of Honey from Mount Hybla. Smith Elder. 1897. 

The Literary Examiner. London, 1823. 

Leigh Hunt's Journal. 1 vol. 1850-51. 

Leigh Hunt's London Journal. April 2, 1834--Dec. $1, 1835. 

Bound in 2 vols. 

Lord Byron and Some of His Contemporaries. London, 1828. 

Men, Women, and Books. Smith Elder, London, 1870. 

The Months; description of the successive beauties of the 
year. London, 1821. 

The Old Court Suburb; or, Memories of Kensington, regal, criti- 
cal, and anecdotal. London, 1855 and 1860. 

Poetical Works. Now finally collected, revised by himself, and 
edited by his son, Thornton Hunt, with illustrations by Cor- 
bould, 1860. Not in any way complete, with no plays, 

The Reflector. 2 vols. London, 1811. 

The Seer; or, Common-places refreshed. 2 vols. in 1. 4th edition. 


Boston, 1865. 


The Reformist's Answer to an article entitled "State Parties," 


in the last Edinburgh Review (No. 30) by the Editor of the 
Examiner, in which paper it first appeared. London, 1810. 


Stories from the Italian Poets. London. 1846. 


ia Ad [ ree raat 
hl hl. hy le 


é* ti ws 


ee onal 
‘ rr ee AISDUOOCOCRS: 
P . wet 
: ol Wun «i he -< 
ca { , i 
Psi 
’ od ti 
by 7 
a ee . - “ 
te | celgq-B2OmeG) 
 & : re te 
i ‘ a, a Hi 
vs, J if 
— ; ! ay cA 
iy TA he OF x<“eWecAa a‘ 1 met ote 
at PN a nna ia an 
\ f p up 
> a ir 
To al ( ; WoW By Se 


a 1 " 
he . 
- ~ Fi . 4 * 
cii@ I a Od Q We te 
al ey m0... 22 


a 
ihedt ed. 
oP ak " 

Ae ey 


a 
Pl 


85 
The Story of Rimini, a poem. London, 1816, 1817, etc. 
Table-Talk, to which are added conversations of Pope and Swift. 
Smith Elder, 1870. 
The Town, Its Memorable characters and events. London, 1859. 


The Wishing Cap Papers. Boston, .1873. 
Wit and Humour, London, Smith Elder, 1846. 


Il 
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL 


I have not included in the following list the numerous maga- 
zine articles consulted in the pursuit of this study; nor have I 
thought it worth while to refer to the scores of paragraph or page 
references in the biographies, journals, letters, etc. of Hunt's 
contemporaries. Many such references may be found in the biblio-~ 


graphy at the end of the volume by Monkhouse. 


Archer and Lowe, Dramatic Essays; selected with notes and an 
Introduction. 1894. 

Clarke, Charles and Mary, Recollections of Writers. London, 1878. 

Caine, T. Hall, Cobwebs and Criticism. 1883. 

Fields, Mrs. Annie, A Shelf of Old Books, 1894. Also in Scrib- 
ners Magazine, I11:285-305. 

Hazlitt, Wm. Spirit of the Age. London, 1858. Also in World Classi 


Horne, R. He. A New Spirit of the Age; World Classics edition. 


Johnson, R. Be. Leigh Hunt, 1896. 


Kent, W. C. M. Leigh Hunt as Poet and Essayist. Introduction and 


portrait, 1889. Gives original source of everything reprinted. 


Miller, Barnette, Leigh Hunt's Relation with Byron, Shelley, and 


Keats. Columbia University Study in English. 1910. 


ih ae , a. 
eee one IS. A 
= ts +S Ek ce — 


VS awit 
“—_ 


: rae ¥ 


sere 
:Lanreoe 


86 


Mitford, Mary Russell. Recollections of a Literary Life. 1852. 


Monkhouse, Cosmo, Life of Leigh Hunt. 1893. 


Moulton, C. W. The Library of Literary Criticism. VI:153-172. 


Noble, James A. The Sonnet in England, and Other Essays. 1896. 
Saintsbury, George, History of Criticism. III: 246-49. 


Saintsbury, George, Essays in English Literature’ 1780-1860. 
London, 1891. 
Symons, Arthur, Essays by Leigh Hunt. Edited with introduction 


and notes. In the Camelot Series. 


Byron. Oxford, 1906. 
Trelawney, E. J. Records of Shelley, Byron and the Author. The 
New Universal Library. Routledge. 


Ward's English Poets. In volume IV. Introduction by Dowden. 


Williams, Orlo. The Essay, Art and Craft of Letters Series. 


Winbolt, S. E. Coleridge, Lamb and Leigh Hunt. London, Bryce. 1920} 


From the Preface of this volume we learn that the author 
has attempted to put together in one volume the best pieces in 
prose and poetry of these three best representatives of Christ 
Hospital. He has endeavored also to weave together the strands 
of the lives and works of the three, and to show to what a re- 
markable extent the whole lives of these schoolfellows were 
interdependent and colored by early school associations and by 


the friendships that grew from then. 


f - erey : 


. © da: r Lact 


f ie , 
bon seve @ 


At tauotxne of a ital 
_ oF | 


ip’! i 


as 


~ ie 


Iany sqidehaole® 


i 1 
i 


BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LEIGH HUNT'S WRITINGS 
CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED 


1801 Juvenilia 


1801 Poem in European Magazine 


1801, etc. Poems in Poetical Register 


1802 Essay in Monthly Preceptor 


1804-5 Papers in Traveller 


1805 Theatrical Criticism in News 


1807 Theatrical Criticism in Times 


1807 Critical Essays on London Theatres 


1807 Classic Tales 


1808 The Examiner 


1808-9 Three Songs. Published: separately, set to music 


1809 Methodism 


1810 The Reflector 


1810 Reformist’s Answer to Edinburg Review. No. 30 


1811 Report of Proceedings against Jdhn Hunt and 


Leigh Hunt. Printed at Stamford. 


Report on the Trial of John and Leigh Hunt, with 


Observations on the Trial by the Editor of the 


Examiner. These observations are dated Dec. 13, 


L612, Bac. 20,12%818, Deo. 27, 1812, Jan. 9, 1815. 


Feast of the Poets 


Descent of Liberty 


Story of Rimini 


Round Table (Published in Hazlitt'’s works) 


wi @ 


: - ‘a ~o AG 
4 daoliavre ano 
‘ 4 b eee oe GP 
yl ‘a - tA A DV gh, 
i 
: ; : a ? Pg I 
, et oeeesaw owe ole wy el, 


foo att to taaed 
, ee a 
dik to faoeneed 


4 


(Ns, 


4 ( 
os ingu Oe 
ie ae ab 


1818 Foliage 

1819-22 Literary Pocket-Book 

1819 Poetical Works 

1819 Hero and Leander, and Bacchus and Ariadne 
1819 The Indicator 

1820 Anyntas 

1821 The Months 


1821, etc. New Monthly Magazine (contributed to) 


1822 The Liberal 

1823 The Literary Examiner 

18235 Ultra-Crepidarius 

1825 Bacchus in Tuscany 

1828 Lord Byron and Some of His Contemporaries 
1828 The Companion 

1828 The Keepsake 

1830 Chat of the Week 

1830-2 The Tatler, a Daily 

1832 Christianism 

1832 Sir Ralph Esher 

1832 Poetical Works 

1832-3 Year of Honeymoons in Bull’s Court Magazine 
1833 Papers in the True Sun 

1833 Wishing Cap in Tait's Magazine 

1834 Indicator and Companion 

1854-5 Leigh Hunt’s London Journal 

1835 Captain Sword and Captain Pen 

1837 Articles in Westminster Review 


1837-8 Monthly Repository 


ecleapek 23609 s*ifei al edcnanyesor 20 amok 


epal lot 
4008 -veaato04d yisterid 
exnoW Lapdteot 

baa aptooad baa stebaaed bite mini 
‘sofeckbal emt * 
ae Tmgm ~ 
sidnbit os 
(od beds tudaon oxteagel qldtnow, won 
| taned.e ba 
teniaasd “oncesiaaee 
arinéhiqendsaathe . ; 

ureourgt at nudonal 

elk to omo8 bas agxyé hrod 
xo laesgmed eae 
olengeok wit 

toeW od %6 sas 

giied a talent ods 
natuadoesedy 
TOHOe qian 116 ae 


catnow actteem 


a0 8 ewe? ont mt sr0ga4 
ontaayeu e's tet et quo weisesw a 
aos aaqedd ‘pine nosacibal } 7 


i hee: 


Lanasot se bod rd pa 
oF etadqad bite brome ate 


welvek vedanta ont al set iy 
ee 4 y 
Wott 


Mr = a ny: 


89 


n.d. Blue Stocking Revels* 

1838-9 Articles in the Monthly Chronicle 

1839 Articles in Musical World 

1839 Tales in Romancist and Novelist's Library 
1840 Heads of the People 

1840 Legend of Florence 

1840 Wycherley, Congreve, Vanourg, and Farquhar edited 
1840 Sheridan, Preface to 

1840-1 The Seer 

1841 Chaucer modernized 

1841 Articles in Monthly Chronicle 

1841-4 Articles in Edinburg Review 

1842 The Palfrey 

1842 Poem in Monthly Magazine 

1843* Hundred Romances of Real Life 

1844 Jar of Honey, in Ainsworth'’s Magazine 
1844* Poetical Works 

1844 Rimini and other poems 

1844* Imagination and Fancy 

1845 Poems in Ainsworth's Magazine 

1845 Preface to Foster Brothers 

1846* Wit and Humour 

18646* Stories from Italian Poets ( Selections only 


in print; The New Universal Library, Routledge) 


* Titles that are starred are still in print. 
1, First published in the Monthly Repository. Hunt says it was 


a kind of female “Feast of the Poets," (See Ingpen, II:220) | 


slover anttoots ould 
efolcoridd yldanom ed? af oot oheah 

Hinow LaoltagW at selLoidus 

Told o'taiflevok bua telonacod al eole? 

‘S elgqopt ont to) abaee 

somem0 fh to be 

becibe taaq&gpyst bas ,yitndaay , S*otyaoo ‘xotnedeRy ~ 
a2 ooptent tobisede 
| a9e oar 


cea tarebom xpowan® 
efoinondd yideaom ot solLot dae 
velvet giednibe al nelolias 
| Gort Lad off. 
oni regen yidéioow a mood 
etit foot to seoncanck bexbaum 
pclamgek e'd2toweats it » fecos te hes 
adntow 1001008 
cneog aedde eve isin 
Coeny baw voltae hgmag d 
onisegek a'dtrowemha ad aan S, 
sredtom tetagt at coated 
1w0ewe one ae 
giao ssaottoelet sivod sallest mont aotwose 


epbelivo#k ,ytawdis Levrovial ven ogt jontsq at aye 
oe ea ee | 


4 dy 


PARTE Me tite ora bernata. one take aed 


cow ti ayec Pout .xn0# Le00ee vied nom ont xe bons teug te 
\ Sieh inn, 
(OSS;21 ,aeapel vee) ated ose, te seen efnmes wh f 
gtk elas } Pini | 


a as a = mismo ye bane 


90 


1846 Table Talk in Atlas 

1847* Men, Women and Books 

1848* Jar of Honey from Mount Hybla 
1848* The Town 

1849 Book for a Corner 

1849 Poem in Cambridge Chronicle 

1850 The New Monthly Magazine 

1650 Readings for Railways 

1850 Lovers* Amazements in L.H.'s Journal 
1850 Autobiography. 3 vols. 

1850-51 Leigh Hunt’s Journal 

1851* Table Palk 

1853 Religion of the Heart 

1853 Readings for Railways. end Series 
1853-4 Articles in Musical Times 

1853-4 Papers in Household Words 

1855 Old Court Suburb 

1855 Beaumont and Fletcher (selected) 
1855 Stories in Verse 

1857 Prose Works (America) 

1857 Poetical Works (Boston) 

1857 Article in National Magazine 

1857 Article in Fraser's Magazine 

1859 The Occasional in Spectator 

1860 Poetical Works 

1860* Autobiography (new edition) 


1861 Saunter through West End 


1862 Correspondence 


o@. 


aafta ol diet of@ag 
oxood bon comedy , oon 
sidyE euro most qongn. te sav 


awot @m® 


elobgo¢~cS epbindmsd at five 
7 ; ™ 


octtesgal yldtndM. wok edt 
oyawikall sot sanlback 

'.U.d of Sigemecams teseved 
~efov & uleedne eae 
sivot o'tawkh dated 

iio? eldat® 

gcaeR oft to solgifier 
seized bok .eyawhlal aot epalbasd 
somi? Laotavm al eeloliam 

ah70F blodeakor ai eteged 
davdgo@-euved B£0 

beicoles) sesorelt bnew Saonmaee 
| eetet af ealcoge 
locinems) oxtaw enons 

Laoewol) seasoW leoitong 

culsegaY fagolttal at eleleaa 
onlsayen a'sxegett at efsidva 
sotatoege sara 
nung facies | 

naps ine mont escarne idea 


“encod ao 10% ao08 


Ae wD we 
’ il 


nal 


91 


Book of the Sonnet 

Tale for a Chimney Corner 
A Day by the Fire 

Memoir of Shelley 

Wishing Cap Papers 
Favourite Poems 


Falstaff’s Letters 


Bssays (Camelot Series) with intro. and notes 
by Arthur Symons 

Poems of Leigh Hunt and Thomas Hood 

Leigno Hunt as Poet and Bssayist (Selections) ed. 
by Charles Kent 

Tales by Leigh Hunt, edited by Charles Knight 

The Poems of Leigh Hunt, ed. by R. B. Johnson 

Essays of Leigh Hunt, ed. by R. B. Johnson 

Essays and Sketches by Leigh Hunt, ed. by Johnson. 
(in World Classics, Oxford) 

An Answer to the question "What Is Poetry?" 

Dramatic Essays, ed. by Archer and Lowe 

Old Court Suburb, ed. by Austin Dobson. London. 

Essays with intro. notes by Symons, illustrated 
by H. M. Brock. Dutton 

Selections in Prose and Verse, ed. J.H. Lobban 

What is Poetry? (in "English Critical Essays of 
the XIX Century, ed. by BE. D. Jones. Oxford) 


Coleridge, Lamb and Leigh Hunt, Selections from 


their Prose and Poetry, with Introduction. Ed. 


by S. EB. Winbdolt 


sort anglsoeled » Dawe igh mt bos dmag bab iaetod — 


) on ae ou? to moae 
senzod yeaeiad, 8 tet ola 
end ony ud Yat a 


cellen® to sLomem 


i eteqead cad gatadel® 
aneod dotted ent 
eiesseod ei beoahet 
~0@ sotemad) areeee 
enogge aodeas we 
bese onek Syled to se0d 
ia {a ) ieO8 as JOH nekeg 
Jae seltas) .¥e 
if? wd beri az anied ¥e so fet 
eo? a) be ~favh Asia te aheud ent 
a 1 A ud be , tae dasjed to” aeaene 
¥ 2 faied ee sesovews bose weyauat 
rxG ,volaselO bisoW at) 
Pete el tan" golieovp ef! oF TeWRRA Us 
ca Reon bo ,u¢aeuR obtametd 
biog oT siteawa 4d she sOuwtgs tareg B19 


argevili ,erxomed yd eeeen err aiiw eyesed 
aovegoG 80098 eh ah Ee 
aeddoJj EL be ,ebhsev baw eoond at enokioolet 
ALLS fmolelyo daligus” al) 1yttect ot ¢aaw! 
(hro3x%0 .oemol .€@ 8 4d be ,¢zegmed Ase bag 


5 


-coltewboutel dete ,ys¢ood bam onore er 


ADDENDUM 


Mr. Luther A. Brewer of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has given to the 


present writer the rare privilege of examining unique Hunt items, 


and of obtaining from his collection information about Leigh Hunt 


not otherwise accessible. Undoubtedly Mr. Brewer has one of the 


| finest and most complete Hunt libraries extant. Besides possessing 


a complete set of first and other interesting editions, he has a 


| variety of presentation and association convies, many unpublished 


letters and manuscripts, proof sheets, and the original manuscripts 


of a number of Hunt's published works. I aave Mr. Brewer's kind 


| permission to list the following items from his interesting and 


unique collection. 


LETTERS 


Letters This is a group of twenty-seven letters written by Hunt 


to his wife while he was in prison. 


| Letters There are fourteen letters in this bundle, written to 


him by his wife, and most of them while he was in prison. 
These prison-period letters are pathetic in character, 
disclosing the poverty of the Hunts. So far as Mr. Brew- 


er can tell, they have never been published. 


Letters These letters, forty-six of them, were written by Hunt to | 


Mrs. Hunt between 1803 and 1812. 
Letters Another bundle contains seventy-two letters from Hunt to 
his wife. These extend over a long period, beginning 


with 1825 and extending to 1852. 


= = cates oe eee 
£8 
s ‘A : LAT tee 
i ti cid mot? yaloleddo te Baa) 
ee is : — - 
, scooom estwredge gon 
a 
i oo saom Baa F 4% 
ctl? lo tee of os 
nue . he f a ,3o7qd to evelany Hi 
~. ‘oan k : 
\(toteae® Bae? etre. - 
Lalit ‘Jace Be +e dma @ Ye Dh i 
: sit of no louknxe 
( " iv a 
‘ cl toeh tog amp 
i . 4 
« 
* Pe v 4 ala? i 
j an < . i® eit oF 
; t et, ot6a® 
it, bia eriwv it oe O16 
is ; ZL. . wait ' eaett ‘, 
re ulte od’ yoiteol ool b> see 
if ; 
i eT , a Cou ‘ A awa Gm 36 ‘. ris 
3 roueok. .etotsel eeedt? ea 
I. Bi Otis eowsed 200% . 0k 
: | ‘oa Aclagjcon efbued vesctogs, 
: / 
iol 2 46070 breiee vaeeat ,otiw eff 


ihaotand bee GSGL Adie 


Letters 


93 


This is a bundle of ten letters written by Hunt from 
Florence, Italy, to Bessie Kent, sister of Mrs. Hunt, 
These letters disclose his old love for Bessie, and con- 
tain several references to Mrs. Shelley, as well as to 
his English creditors and his longing to return to Eng- 
land. 

A group of original love letters from Hunt to his future 


wife, Marianne Kent. 


MANUSCRIPTS 


|The Palfrey. This is a complete manuscript of the poem, showing 


many corrections and proofs of Hunt's care in revising 


his work for the printer. 


Book of Beginnings. This item is the original holograph of the 


Italy 


"Book of Beginnings,” first published in No. 3 of the 
"Liberal." This later manuscript differs materially from 
the printed book, and shows in a delightful way Hunt’s 
method of work, and again proves how very carefully he 
performed it at times, 

This is a complete manuscript of a contribution to the 


third number of the "Liberal. 


A 
The Heir of Mondolfo. This is a manuscript of nine: three pages. 


| Phe Secret Marriage, afterwards The Prince’s Marriage. Hunt explains 


in his "Autobiography" that this was a play in five acts 


which he had written, but which he had never published. 2 


ll. See Ingpen’s edition of the "Autobiography," I1:226-227, 


i ie i 
’ : 
= wt ar Seema er ULE tae eee 
ee 
2° 
, ° 70.4 
Z ; < gaat 
i) : 7“€ oe tia? 
; buto dullwaact® aia 


el 4 £a0fa1% : 
faeu enxcoltem ,.edae 
5 * 40% 
; Ce srolsoartes Vea 
4 t x : du9oW ate 3 
nesi. eta? v4 ayilooiged 
r ¢ ‘ 16 Aoog” 
“ y+ tenet ee es 
‘ beialsia eng | 
: ‘ ow io botteg 
iy te onve eg 
: sunte } es wt @iag | 
ee ! to vetmun balay 
oucem 2 et ate? ottobuow 200mm 
i T ehtsewretta -Oaelttee so 
p Li 
ag ungetaoldosmAY @indn wt ‘a 


- 
iw sed ,megevlew band ef Soldw ee 


ee ere tee aa, RR ere A my 


mn 


ivovwa" edt to wottthe 9*asggat 


a ae 


94 


Mr. Brewer's possession consists of many pages of trans- 
cript from the play, having many interliniations in the 
handwriting of Leigh Hunt. 

The Friar's Tale. This is the manuscript of the modernized version 
of Chaucer's poem in the handwriting of Hunt. 

Fragments This group consists of about five hundred pages of Hunt 
manuscript of a fragmentary character. Nr. Brewer has not 


yet classified this material. 


ITEMS WITH ASSOCIATION INTEREST 


Testimonial, This item consists of proof sheets of a testimonial 
promoted by Browning, Dickens and others for the erection 
of a monument in Kensal Green Cemetery to the memory of 
Hunt, with Robert Browning's autograph corrections, and a 
statement of the condition of the fund in Browning's au- 
tograph. This item is absolutely unique. 

Harold Skimpole. Six autograph letters from Dickens to Hunt agatata! 
ing expressions of friendship and making pathetic refer- | 
ence to his alleged caricature of Hunt as Harold Skimpole 
in Bleak House; with two letters from Dickens to Thorn- 
ton Hunt on the same matter. 

Bacco in Toscana, by Redi. This is Leigh Hunt's copy of the Ital- 
ian original of his “Bacchus in Tuscany." Many of the 


pages contain autograph notes and comments; and it is 


thought on that account to be the identical copy used by 


Hunt in making his translation of "Bacchus in Tuscany." 


Bacchus in Tuscany. This is interesting because it bears through- 


-¢ 


' } io lw ,0800E Abeta ‘al 


ag 


H 690 sh Pee | Hf 
. * 7 7. %9 
j : 4 eee fe 


i) let s* 


a’ a sia 8’ seeanend SE 


1 
7 ie 

ne) j 
hy fit \ 


e Yo alethgoo (heag BART siSGmaawe fh.’ 
a ie rk Ww t 


: Dal bee" 
maz oO: Gc 1Oecgee Me 


a . 


5 
. 


tam widd Deltleaske dey 


ilnwo7wd yd Besomegg 
HY : F vi ¢nemsuom a 


3° cwork srecunt aviw cane 


t sonmetces7a 


re ih iqaaed x Pay 
0 ogming SLGREe 
‘ie 


Fi 


to anelaseiqey gah 


aig hi # vome 
. ive eee oAl | ioe BOs 6 ie 


eudoows* ald to faalyito Bas 
ejon dqers6o¥ve nlataoo evaeg 
¢d of ¢upoonsa dad? wo seacodé : 


tral une J wy ia Ba Laem mt fauw , A U1 


Lysevedel of etd? ,gnaoeet 


95 


out the text many corrections in Hunt's autograph. These 

corrections are principally in the spelling of italian 

names. Mr. Brewer believes that the necessity for so many 
corrections lies in the fact that the manuscript was put 
in type and the proof read by others than the author, and 
that it was not easy to decipher the unfamiliar Italian 
names and terms. In no other way can he explain the pres- 
ence of so many corrections in the book after it was pub- 
lished. 

ree of Anarchy. This item consists of Hunt's page proofs of the 
first edition of Shelley's "Masque of Anarchy.” In this 
first edition the Preface is contained on twenty-six pages 
while in the proof sheets in Mr. Brewer's possession it 
is contained in eight pages. The beginning and the end- 
ing of the matter on these pages coincide with the begin- 
ning and ending in the First Edition, showing that Hunt 
must have called for additional page proofs to which he 
had made large additions in the way of copy. Mr. Brewer's| 
proof sheets show forty-six pages of text instead of forty 
seven as printed. This additional page was needed aa aeeetd 
Hunt had added a note to Stanza LXXXI. 

The Cenci. This was Shelley's first attempt at writing drama, and 
contains the famous dedication to Hunt. The volume is ac- | 
companied with a letter from Shelley to Hunt asking about | 
the receipt of the manuscript of the book. } 


| The Old Court Suburb. With many pages of Hunt's manuscript copy. 


Jar of Honey from Mount Hybla. With Hunt’s manuscript notes of sub- 


jects for head and tail pieces. 


4 J Ya ae oe a ee eB veto 
225 oe 


(l 
: 


Hl 
4 


+e 
100 Yasue Oxet off Bud 
: aqios exh euolvourttoe 
ilec tewexd .4t0 .s6mea 
: $ :t 3 | eanolJosrites 
¢ baesr too a3 bos eqy? as 
Ss 
6 a0 foo aay 2i sade 
rc a «ai -amtes ‘bas een 
; LroettToc og 306 etae. 
bodpal 
gealaao: sort ald? .yito tai 
i Led itibe 22% 
» xh oate wolehbe gaxtd 
it nolsesese ; : vi sie tootq ode al effing 
, ¢ tdygle al Sesteaiaog es 
secs co togcem end To eae 
soxi% ral aaliue baa aake 
AG : belles evaxt tege 
- edt ssolsibbs eptal ebam bea 
| wose S¢o0eda Toetg 
. Pthha «hu -betalirqg 248 c2evee 
i seasze of etom ew beobba bau sunk 
env! siet- = eita teri? a'yoliet@ sae oid? 
if of solteolbed eucmet edt emtatned: 
¢ > us AG moxt setided #« dilw betasgues 
ox ltoacuem ods Te yeheous od? 
am a’ dog to sAonen ynam AGL ,éxud tae bio. 
ig iiseunean e'3ane agin -oltye gago! mo 's.2 
~wegele Lie? bas baew’ 10% atoel 
SS Se pena 


eal, 


96 


The Book of the Seasons, by William Howitt. Contains the inscription 


"To Leigh Hunt from his affectionate wife M. A. Hunt.” 


Socrates out of his Senses. Inscribed as follows: 

"To Leigh Hunt from Chas. Brown, 1821." Has many annota- 
tions by Leigh Hunt. 

Poesie D'Alessandro Guidi, 1726. Inscribed by his son as follows: 


"To dear papa from his loving son." 
PRESENTATION COPIES 


The Descent of Liberty. This is the First Edition, presented to 


Lord Byron, with the following in Hunt's handwriting: 
"To Lord Byron, with the author’s best remembrances." 
Accompanying this volume are eleven vages of manuscript 
covering pages 55 to the end, 28 pages of printed matter, 
and showing many changes and corrections. The manuscript 
was written in prison, and is dated July 10, 1814. 
|A Book for A Corner. Inscribed as follows: 
"To the Rt. Hon. T. Be. Macaulay, from his most obliged 
friend & servant, Leigh Hunt.” 
Christianism. This has the following inscription: 
"To Isabella Grundy with the Author's kindest good 
wishes, April 16, 1853." This was published in 1832, in 


an edition of 75 copies only, and was edited by John For- 


ster. 
|Hero and Leander, and Bacchus and Ariadne. This has the following 
| inscription to his old sweetheart: 


"To Bessy Kent from her affectionate friend and Author." 


‘4 : d¢ dais bout) sifLedaesl gm* 


etecoltvestta ted moat tnen yacedg on" 


=e Fl “| on 4 


~gesuek cid 16 Jeo 8 
ks . ; sort took daled of% 


tau inled ed enoadgs 


sual ,0S%L , lbio® orbeenmemar 


snivol ,if8 fs he & 8c 4q 120b..00" 


[Lot ed? ddlw \nesead biod~ 
‘es igve on2 diiw ,satygd baad o8F 
elov etd? salyoaqnosek 
0? i senaec guirtevon 
(con golwode Bas 
wa ,moe! | nerthaw aa 
adtaonal -tea%00 A 20% 
; eon 22 .? cme on ede one 
“fee 4 ol ,Jtevvea & bookat 
isencael ngaiwoilot edt sad eba? ome 
"EGGS 9 Od hictgh ,eachede 
~viae veelgeo GY %% aoddsbe, deni 
- toce 


es 


trsedisows bio aid o@ soliqizoags . 


97 


|\story of Rimini. Inscribed to his friend thus: 
"To Horatio Smith, from his sincere friend Leigh Hunt." 

Beaumont and Fletcher. This was edited by Leigh Hunt and inscribed 
"To Isaac Latimer, with Hunt’s kind regards," on title, 
and letter of Leigh Hunt that accompanied the presentation| 
One wonders with Mr. Brewer how it has been possible to 
keep the book and the letter together all these years. 

The Poetical Works of Leigh Hunt, 1832. Inscribed thus: 
"To Aristides Guilbert with Leigh Hunt'*s respects and 
regards," 

| Legend of Florence, 1840. This was inscrived to an actor friend, 


“Anderson Bsqre with the Author's respects and thanks." 


|The Indicator and Companion, 2 vols., 1834. 


"To Ann& Maria Dashwood, from her affectionate friend 
the Author." 

Wit and Humour. This is the Hunt item that holds first place in the 
Mr. Brewer's affection. In his little book entitled, 
"Around the Library Table," he gives a charming Huntian 
account of how it came into his possession. On the half- 
title, in the beautiful handwriting of the author, is the 


following inscription: 


"To Mrs. Shelley 
(I mean "Mary") 


from her affectionate friend, L. H." 


Y OF ILLINOIS: 


Wii i 


3 0112 108856979 


